Summertime and Seasonal Workers

Just in April 2022, 428,000 jobs were added to the labor market according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ May 2022 employment report. The need for employees is high, so much so that companies like Amazon, and state organizations as a whole, are seeking alternatives to getting those hires. Especially for the upcoming busy summer season, where tourism and seasonal industries have their busiest months. 

Bloomberg Law reports that one of those alternatives is facilitating work permits and citizenship to immigrant workers. Amazon launched a “Welcome Door” program to help current refugees obtain, and reimburse the fees for, work permits. For permanent residents, the online retailer is offering legal assistance to complete the citizenship process.

New Workers Desperately Needed  

Private companies are not the only ones seeking to employ more immigrants. The State of California is supporting immigrants in their residency and citizenship process as well- for farming needs. The state’s Farm Bureau Federation announced a program similar to Amazon’s due to the current labor shortage and product demand.  

All of these efforts make it clear that responsibly employing immigrants not only fills a physical void at a company, but also supports the country’s economy as a whole. The most recent Census shows an aging population and a lower birth rate, so the need for workers will only continue to increase.  Citizenship is a sensible solution to the labor market problems and the current seasonal industries that are severely short-staffed.  

This is why OPA created an economic solution for immigrants who qualify to apply for citizenship but fail to do so due to lack of funding. As Bloomberg Law also shared, “Labor Secretary Marty Walsh recently called on lawmakers to overhaul the US immigration system, saying that merely adding more temporary visas isn’t enough to make up for labor shortages. But even if Congress makes green cards and citizenship more widely available, hefty fees—and a complex application process—stand in the way of workers securing full citizenship.”. 

Citizenship benefits us all and investing in citizenship pays off.