Foreign job seeker interest in U.S. jobs — as measured by the share of job ad clicks from other countries — has dropped by 29% over the past year, according to a May 13 report from Indeed.
Interest in U.S. jobs peaked at 2.4% in August 2023 and held relatively steady through the 2024 election, but then rapidly dropped to 1.7% by March 2025.
“The decline comes as immigration policies tighten globally and the U.S. labor market cools,” according to the report. “This drop could have real economic consequences, especially for sectors like healthcare and construction that depend heavily on immigrant labor. Fewer clicks today could mean fewer workers tomorrow, potentially deepening labor shortages in industries already under strain.”
Nearly 20% of U.S. workers are considered foreign-born as of March 2025, up from 16.7% in June 2020, highlighting the critical role that immigrants play in the labor force, Indeed reported. The influx of migrants, which reached a peak of more than 1 million in 2023, likely stabilized an overheated post-pandemic labor market, the report found, particularly amid nationwide workforce shortages and wage growth.
Although long-term effects remain unknown, the recent decline in foreign job seeker interest could affect the U.S. labor market, productivity and economic growth, Indeed reported. As a result, labor shortages could become more pronounced and inflation could rise, particularly related to sectors that rely on foreign workers.
For instance, while immigrants make up 20% of the U.S. workforce, they comprise 30% of construction workers, 26% of physicians and surgeons and 40% of home health aides.
Amid immigration crackdowns in the U.S., employers are scrambling to solve worker shortages, employer-side attorneys told HR Dive. Ongoing changes from the Trump administration may chill employers’ talent operations, they said, especially with a lack of clarity and detail around immigration policies and enforcement.
Although the labor market has cooled so far this year, recruiters may face numerous talent challenges in 2025 that could be exacerbated by immigration changes, experts told HR Dive. Lower immigration levels could lead to economic contraction in certain industries, including technology and healthcare, and lead to job loss for all workers, they said.