2026 Research
Multiple independent studies, one conclusion: immigrants with work permits are strengthening the U.S. workforce and economy.
2,316,000 asylum applicant workers 750,000 TPS workers
Browse demographic and economic workforce statistics for asylum applicants and TPS holders in your state, metro area, or region — drawn from the American Community Survey.
A 2026 econometric study finds that communities where asylum applicants settle see higher wages and lower unemployment for U.S. citizen workers.
See How U.S. Citizens Are Impacted →Two 2026 demographic studies analyze the asylum applicants and TPS holders in the U.S. workforce — who they are, where they work, and what they contribute in taxes and economic activity.
Econometric Study · Clemens, Nice & Rigol · April 2026
Economists and policy experts at George Mason University, Cornell Law School, and Harvard Business School studied hundreds of U.S. commuting zones and found that areas receiving larger numbers of asylum applicants see measurable improvements in employment and wages for existing U.S. workers.
Demographic Research · Connor · September 2026
Workers with Temporary Protected Status participate in the workforce at a higher rate than the U.S. public — a 73% labor force participation rate, compared to 66% for the U.S. workforce as a whole. By 2025 they had spent an average of nine years in the U.S. workforce, and nearly a third had worked here 15 years or longer. The table below shows how 750,000 TPS workers are distributed across industries experiencing labor shortages nationwide. Click column headings to sort.
| Industry | TPS Workers | Remaining Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 123,000 | 231,000 |
| Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities | 104,000 | 1,131,000 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade | 101,000 | 813,000 |
| Leisure and Hospitality | 100,000 | 1,041,000 |
| Professional and Business Services | 92,000 | 977,000 |
| Manufacturing | 77,000 | 495,000 |
| Other Services | 74,000 | 755,000 |
| Health Services | 43,000 | 1,410,000 |
| Agriculture | 17,000 | n/a |
| Education Services | 16,000 | 377,000 |
| Total | 747,000 | 7,230,000 |
Job openings are for non-farm industries, so no figure is available for agriculture.
Demographic Research · Connor · March 2026
Asylum applicants participate in the workforce at a higher rate than the U.S. public — a 71% labor force participation rate, compared to 66% for the U.S. workforce as a whole. The table below shows how 2+ million asylum applicant workers are distributed across industries experiencing labor shortages nationwide. Click industries to expand subcategories, and click column headings to sort.
| Industry | Asylum Applicant Workers | Remaining Job Openings |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 453,000 | 231,000 |
| Leisure and Hospitality› | 360,000 | 1,041,000 |
| Food services and drinking places (non-alcohol) | 262,000 | |
| Traveler accommodation | 64,000 | |
| Amusement, gambling, and recreation | 21,000 | |
| Other leisure and hospitality | 13,000 | |
| Professional and Business Services› | 343,000 | 977,000 |
| Services to buildings and dwellings (non-landscaping) | 106,000 | |
| Computer systems and related services | 68,000 | |
| Landscaping services | 55,000 | |
| Employment services | 22,000 | |
| Management, scientific, and technical consulting services | 20,000 | |
| Other professional and business services | 72,000 | |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade› | 296,000 | 813,000 |
| Warehouse clubs, supercenters, general retailers | 66,000 | |
| Supermarkets and grocery stores | 44,000 | |
| Grocery wholesalers | 21,000 | |
| Clothing and clothing accessories retailers | 18,000 | |
| Other wholesale and retail trade | 147,000 | |
| Other Services› | 225,000 | 755,000 |
| Services to private households | 33,000 | |
| Automotive repair and maintenance | 26,000 | |
| Personal services | 12,000 | |
| Beauty salon | 10,000 | |
| Other other services | 144,000 | |
| Manufacturing› | 218,000 | 495,000 |
| Motor vehicle and motor vehicle equipment | 21,000 | |
| Meatpacking and processing | 18,000 | |
| Other manufacturing | 179,000 | |
| Transportation, Warehousing, and Utilities› | 206,000 | 1,131,000 |
| Couriers and messengers | 62,000 | |
| Warehousing and storage | 43,000 | |
| Taxi and limousine services | 37,000 | |
| Truck transportation | 32,000 | |
| Other transportation, warehousing, and utilities | 32,000 | |
| Health Services› | 109,000 | 1,410,000 |
| General medical and surgical hospitals | 20,000 | |
| Home health care services | 16,000 | |
| Child care services | 16,000 | |
| Individual and family services | 15,000 | |
| Other health services | 42,000 | |
| Education Services› | 61,000 | 377,000 |
| Elementary and secondary schools | 27,000 | |
| Colleges and universities | 27,000 | |
| Other education services | 7,000 | |
| Agriculture› | 45,000 | n/a |
| Crop production | 30,000 | |
| Other agriculture | 15,000 | |
| Total | 2,316,000 | 7,230,000 |
Regional Data
Select a state, metro area, or region to view local asylum applicant and TPS workforce statistics.