(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Immigrant share of the U.S. Labor Force reached a record high of 18.6% in 2023, according to the Economic Policy Institute’s (EPI) analysis of Current Population Survey (CPS) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

As a result, anti-immigration advocates have been out in full force, using this as a talking point for deeply misguided commentary and analysis that roughly translates to “Immigrants are taking all our jobs.” 

The reality is that the economy does not have a fixed number of jobs and what we see today is a growing economy that is adding jobs for both Immigrants and U.S.-born Workers, the EPI said. 

As such, the EPI points to six key facts that show Immigrants are not hurting the employment outcomes of U.S.-born Workers:

The unemployment rate for U.S.-born Workers averaged 3.6% in 2023, the lowest rate on record.  Obviously, immigration is not causing high unemployment among U.S.-born Workers.

The share of prime-age U.S.-born individuals with a job is at its highest rate in more than two decades.  In 2023, the prime-age (ages 25-to-54) Employment-to-Population Ratio (EPOP) for U.S.-born individuals was 81.4%, up from 80.7% in 2019 and now at its highest rate since 2001.

The prime-age Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR) for U.S.-born individuals is also at its highest rate in more than two decades.  In 2023, the LFPR for prime-age U.S.-born individuals was 83.9%, up from 83.3% in 2019 and now at its highest rate since 2002.  Further, the increase in the U.S.-born prime-age LFPR over the last year was the second highest on record - below only the increase that occurred the year before last.

The prime-age LFPR of U.S.-born Men without a Bachelor’s Degree grew at a record pace in each of the last two years and is above its pre-COVID trend.  The EPI focus here is on prime-age Men without a Bachelor’s Degree because though the Immigrant population is comprised of Men and Women of all education levels, Immigrants are somewhat disproportionately concentrated among Men without a college degree (in 2023, the Immigrant share of the overall labor force was 18.6%, but it was 20.0% of Men without a college degree).  That means that if recent immigration were affecting labor market outcomes of U.S.-born Workers, it would be more easily detected among Workers in this group.  However, the LFPR of these Workers is also beating expectations.  It is clear the labor market is both absorbing Immigrants and generating strong job opportunities for U.S.-born Workers, including those in demographic groups potentially most impacted by immigration.

To Continue Reading This Labor News Report, Go To: Immigrants are not hurting U.S.-born workers: Six facts to set the record straight | Economic Policy Institute (epi.org)