The logical base for immigration is quite evident.  For instance, recent research from New York University highlights how the more international nurses working in a hospital, the more educated and stable that workforce tends to be.

“While there have been concerns that internationally educated nurses may not perform at the same level as U.S.-trained nurses, including collaborating with colleagues, our study suggests that such concerns may not be necessary,” the researchers say.

I’ve written previously about Harvard research highlighting the way immigration policies are holding back the American economy, and a similar conclusion is reached by Envoy Global’s 2020 Immigration Trends Report, which highlights that demand for foreign talent remains high, due in large part to the persistent skills gap that exists in the labor market. The report found that around 85% of employers expect their foreign national headcount to grow in the next year, with practically all organizations revealing that foreign recruitment is important to their overall talent strategy.

“As the U.S. enters a new decade, the skills gap continues: 79% of American business leaders believe there will be a shortage of highly skilled talent in 2020, and in just another 10 years, there could be a deficit of over 6.5 million highly skilled workers in the U.S,” the researchers say. “Accordingly, the demand for foreign-born talent is growing, with 85% of employers expecting their company’s foreign national headcount to increase or stay the same in the next year and 18% expecting it to significantly increase–up from 11% last year.”

Hurdles to growth

They also highlighted the frustration companies feel with government immigration policies, both in terms of the restrictions they place on immigration, but also on the lack of efficiency and transparency in the process. Indeed, some 84% of organizations said that recruiting from overseas had become harder under the current administration.

Around half of the organizations surveyed revealed that if they were unable to bring the talent they needed to the United States, they would offshore the work instead. It’s in a context in which many countries are looking to expedite the approval of overseas talent, especially in areas where there are clear shortages.

Nowhere is this more evident than in Canada, who are streamlining their immigration processes in direct response to the Kafka-like maze that is the American immigration system. This has made Canada a top alternative destination for employers looking to place high-skilled foreign talent.

“To prepare for the future of the workforce, organizations must evaluate internal processes and develop holistic immigration programs that can withstand government scrutiny and attract and retain employees who have more choices than ever,” the authors conclude. “Meanwhile, governments must reform their immigration systems to meet the needs of employers in the 21st century so their countries remain competitive when recruiting the most mobile workforce in history.”