Interest in STEM programs amongst U.S. residents has grown at a a lot slower tempo than amongst non-residents. | Photo Credit: Dado Ruvic
Jobs within the U.S. IT sector, which is formally outlined as ‘pc and mathematical occupations’ by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, have grown by about 40% between 2016 and 2024. This makes the IT sector one of many main ones within the labour market.
The chart under exhibits the sector-wise change (%) within the jobs out there within the U.S. between 2016 and 2024 (horizontal axis). Sector-wise share of foreign-born staff (vertical axis). The larger the circle, the upper the variety of staff within the sector in 2014. The farther a circle is to the suitable, the upper the job progress.
Apart from the IT sector, solely two others have recorded sooner progress within the U.S. — well being care assist roles, equivalent to nursing, and jobs within the life sciences, bodily sciences, and social sciences. The IT and well being care assist sectors seem within the higher proper part of the graph.
That signifies that they’re among the many fastest-growing sectors, with a barely above-average share of foreign-born staff — round 25% of the workforce in 2024.
Notably, this share has remained unchanged since 2016, suggesting that the illustration of foreign-born staff has stagnated regardless of robust general job progress.
Should U.S. President Donald Trump be involved concerning the massive variety of foreign-born staff within the fastest-growing sectors of the U.S. financial system — sectors that owe a lot of their success to overseas expertise?
The H-1B visa is now not primarily utilized by Indian IT corporations to ship staff to the U.S. Currently, American tech giants equivalent to Apple, Microsoft, and Meta are additionally among the many largest recruiters of H-1B expertise.
Whether the latest coverage adjustments will disrupt this STEM expertise move and, in flip, sluggish job progress is the query.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM occupations are projected to develop by greater than 8% over the following decade, as proven within the chart under, in comparison with simply 2.7% for non-STEM jobs.
Does the U.S. have sufficient home-grown STEM expertise to fulfill this surge in demand? Data present that it could not.
Interest in STEM programs amongst U.S. residents has grown at a a lot slower tempo than amongst non-residents. Between 2011–12 and 2020–21, the variety of non-residents incomes STEM bachelor’s levels within the U.S. rose by 148%, in comparison with simply 47% amongst U.S. residents. The hole is larger on the Master’s stage.
The chart under exhibits STEM levels conferred by U.S. establishments by stage of diploma
In 2020-21, solely 55% of those that earned STEM Master’s levels within the U.S. have been residents, whereas 45% have been non-residents. The U.S. depends not solely on foreign-born expertise in its present IT workforce, but additionally on non-residents who make up a big a part of its future STEM workforce. It is these two teams which are being focused by Mr Trump’s insurance policies.
The chart under exhibits STEM levels/certificates conferred by postsecondary establishments, by race/ethnicity for all diploma ranges
How different international locations have reacted to the H-1B visa price hike can also be telling. China has touted its ‘Okay visa’ as a substitute for the H-1B. The U.Okay. is contemplating a discount in visa charges for STEM staff, whereas Germany’s Ambassador to India posted on X an invitation welcoming Indian professionals. Reports present that South Korea and Japan too have related plans. Will the U.S. have the ability to cope if world STEM expertise begin selecting different locations?
The knowledge for the charts have been sourced from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’s ‘Foreign-born staff: Labor drive traits’ report, and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Published – October 09, 2025 07:00 am IST
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