Foreign-born workers account for nearly 30% of all those employed in construction trades
By Chris Kirkham | The Wall Street Journal
he U.S. home-building industry, which relies heavily on immigrant labor, could face significant challenges under stricter immigration enforcement rules outlined during President Donald Trump’s first week in office.
Foreign-born workers account for nearly 30% of all those employed in construction trades, according to 2015 research from the National Association of Home Builders, and the share is even higher among occupations that are central to home building, such as roofers and drywall installers.
Labor shortages have already been a persistent problem for home builders throughout the housing recovery, as many older construction workers retired or migrated to other professions when the housing industry collapsed a decade ago. Others returned to Mexico and haven’t come back.
