Due to the complexities of hiring foreign workers, many companies don’t even consider it as an option. Immigration law attorney Chad Graham says H-1B visa workers are eager to come to the U.S. and become part of our ecosystem.
LEHI, Utah – Sept. 3, 2019 – According to the U.S. Department of Labor, jobs in the computer and information technology is projected to grow 13 percent from 2016 to 2026, faster than the average for all occupations — adding about 557,100 new jobs. However, technology companies are finding there’s a shortage of local skilled labor to fill these positions.
A June 10 MarketWatch article reconfirmed this finding. It reported “the problem isn’t that companies aren’t willing to hire, but it’s that there’s a lack of skilled workers.”
In addition, the Federal Reserve found “Stronger employment growth continued to be constrained by tight labor markets.” It continued by saying many companies are complaining about “shortages of both high- and low-skilled employees.”
“The companies hardest hit by the skilled labor shortage are those in the technology sector,” said Graham Adair Co-Founder Chad Graham. “This has become a daily conundrum for hiring managers. The faster these skilled positions are filled; the more apt companies will be able to support their growth.”
Some companies use the strategy of poaching Bay Area talent, a well-known hotbed of skilled tech talent.
“Poaching talent from the Bay Area is typically not a good strategy,” said Graham. “The main challenge is Bay Area salaries often far exceed those of other cities. That makes it unrealistic to offer these employees a matching salary. And offering less because the cost of living is lower in your city may fall on deaf ears. These factors make it extremely challenging for hiring managers/recruiters.”
Graham says there’s definitely an opportunity for U.S. companies to start advertising and recruiting from foreign countries — particularly those that have specific work visas available for their citizens. Those with work visas are not restricted to the H-1B visa, which is subject to an annual limit. There are also other immigration options available to find this talent, including international students.
“Navigating the complexities of business visas, permanent residency, employment-based work permits, and compliance with immigration laws can be intimidating,” Graham said. “But that there are skilled, eligible H-1B visa workers out there, eager to come to the U.S. and contribute to our ecosystem.”
Graham believes every growing company in Utah should include immigration as part of its hiring strategy.
“In speaking with HR staff and recruiters, I’ve found tech companies in particular are struggling to fill positions,” said Graham. “Many of these companies experience rapid growth, which suddenly leads to a dire need to hire engineers quickly to support the growth.”
Graham says one of the reasons open job requisitions are hard for companies to fill is due to the ebb and flow of graduation at colleges, universities and vocational schools. Unfortunately, the hiring needs are often between graduation dates.
“I believe as more and more companies experience the benefits of hiring foreign nationals, it will be viewed as a valuable and standard hiring strategy for bringing in the necessary IT talent,” said Graham.
For more information, visit: grahamadair.com
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About Graham Adair
Graham Adair is an award-winning firm that provides intelligent solutions for business immigration needs worldwide by ensuring clients’ personnel are not bound by borders. The firm represents a broad cross section of businesses, from Fortune 500 companies to small start-ups, and across a wide spectrum of industries including finance, manufacturing, biotechnology, medical research, IT, transportation and education. Global immigration services include business visas, permanent residency, employment-based work permits, consular processing, and compliance with local immigration laws. Graham Adair, founded in 2010, has offices in San Jose, Austin, Atlanta and Lehi (Utah) — as well as global migration partners in more than 50 countries. Visit: grahamadair.com
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