Workplace Immigration

Organizations seeking to thrive in the increasingly competitive and global marketplace consider the workplace immigration system to be an important avenue to hire for hard-to-fill positions; supplement temporary or seasonal workforce needs; and expose their current workforce to new ideas.

Removing Talent Barriers: SHRM’s Workplace Immigration Strategies

The U.S. immigration system is outdated and unpredictable, creating unnecessary barriers for employers seeking the talent they need. Visa backlogs, inconsistent processing, and outdated compliance rules hinder workforce planning and limit U.S. competitiveness.

SHRM supports commonsense, bipartisan solutions that reduce inefficiencies and remove arbitrary obstacles that do not enhance the security or integrity of the immigration system. Effective reform will require collaboration across the executive and legislative branches, alongside engagement with the business community.

By rebalancing visa allocations, expanding pathways for skilled workers, streamlining processing, and modernizing compliance, the system can become more efficient, fair, and transparent. SHRM continues working with policymakers to ensure workplace immigration strengthens employers, HR professionals, and U.S. competitiveness.

“As employers work to close the skills gap, it is critical they have the tools to hire a legal workforce and the ability to access top talent no matter where it is found in the world.”

Emily M. Dickens, Chief Administrative Officer, SHRM

SHRM’s Workplace Immigration Policy Priorities

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Talent Acquisition and Retention

Increasing access to legally authorized, skilled workers to fill workforce gaps, particularly in critical sectors such as health care, manufacturing, and education. Policies should enable the U.S. immigration system to support skills-based hiring while allowing employers to assess their needs and use all reasonable criteria to find the right candidates. This flexibility is crucial for U.S. employers to thrive in the modern workplace.

Efficiency and Predictability

Eliminating arbitrary barriers and inefficiencies in the immigration system. SHRM research identifies processing delays and unpredictability as major challenges, deterring employers from investing in foreign-born talent. Additionally, over half of employers would invest more if the system were more certain. SHRM advocates eliminating unwarranted obstacles to recruiting, hiring, transferring, and retaining top talent.

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Innovation and Cultural Exchange

Promoting visa programs that foster cross-cultural exchange and exposure to diverse perspectives, which enhance adaptability and problem-solving in the workplace. Programs like the J-1 visa and Optional Practical Training for F-1 students provide employers with access to qualified talent while offering meaningful exposure to different cultures, with most employers reporting highly positive experiences and outcomes from participants in these programs.

Workplace Immigration Insights

SHRM’s comprehensive workplace immigration survey — developed with bipartisan policymakers and immigration experts — provides insights into employers’ views and identifies opportunities to modernize the U.S. immigration system within the workforce landscape.

Increasing immigration strengthens U.S. competitiveness and helps retain top talent. Nearly 3 in 4 employers (73%) agree that increased immigration encourages economic growth and makes the U.S. more globally competitive. Over half (54%) believe the U.S. is losing top talent to other countries because of its immigration system.

Employers say immigration screening must be secure to ensure a legal workforce. More than two-thirds (68%) agree the process for allowing foreign-born workers to remain and work in the U.S. should be rigorous to address security concerns. SHRM members actively use screening and verification tools to maintain compliance and workforce integrity.

Employers say immigration processes should be streamlined to access talent. More than two-thirds (68%) of employers agree that they would benefit from a more streamlined process for organizations to access U.S.-educated, foreign-born talent. Additionally, American universities were by far the most cited source when recruiting foreign-born workers.

Increasing access to foreign-born talent could help address worker shortages. Fifty-seven percent of organizations say they would benefit from more legally authorized workers on visas, with midsize and large employers reporting even higher need (63% and 68%). Among those that have hired foreign-born talent to address workforce shortages, nearly two-thirds (65%) report it has been somewhat or very successful.

Employers say the immigration system is unpredictable and creates uncertainty. Over half (55%) agree it is risky to invest in foreign-born talent due to system uncertainty and say they would be more willing to invest time, effort, and resources in pursuing foreign-born workers if the system were more predictable.

SHRM’s Strategy for Access to Talent U.S. Businesses Deserve

SHRM supports workplace immigration policies that give U.S. businesses access to foreign-born talent that complements the U.S.-born workforce when domestic workers are unavailable. In 2025, 69% of employers struggled to fill full-time roles. SHRM advocates removing arbitrary barriers that limit competitiveness and do not protect U.S. workers.

SHRM supports a workplace immigration system that enables employers to recruit foreign-born workers who complement and supplement the U.S.-born workforce, particularly when domestic talent is unavailable. Persistent shortages remain widespread: in 2025, 69% of organizations reported difficulty recruiting for full-time roles, driven by too few applicants, skill mismatches, and intense competition. These gaps leave critical positions unfilled, reducing productivity and limiting innovation.

SHRM advocates for increased access to employment-based (EB) visas, elimination of country caps, and recapturing unused EB visas so all authorized visas are utilized. These reforms would help employers address chronic shortages in health care, manufacturing, education, engineering, and IT — industries vital to U.S. competitiveness. Employers turn to immigration programs only when U.S. workers are not available, reinforcing that these programs strengthen—not displace—the domestic workforce.

SHRM reinforces that workplace immigration must remain secure, compliant, and trusted. HR professionals are directly responsible for ensuring lawful employment through Form I-9 compliance and verification processes. SHRM supports USCIS and DHS efforts to uphold program integrity, with 68% of employers agreeing that screening for foreign-born workers should remain rigorous.

At the same time, SHRM advocates for modernization, including permanent remote Form I-9 verification. These changes would reduce error rates, enhance compliance, and improve security outcomes while lowering administrative burdens. SHRM has consistently engaged DHS on Form I-9 modernization and E-Verify guidance, emphasizing that effective enforcement and efficient systems must work together.

SHRM advocates for investing in all aspects of immigration infrastructure to improve efficiency and predictability. SHRM research shows that processing delays and unpredictability are the top pain points employers face, with USCIS backlogs risking unnecessary business disruptions and workforce gaps. Employers are particularly concerned that authorized workers may fall out of status due to delayed adjudications.

SHRM supports permanent electronic submission of immigration petitions, automatic renewals of previously adjudicated applications, and streamlined issuance and adjudication of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs). SHRM also encourages expanding Premium Processing to additional benefit categories. These reforms would reduce administrative burdens while maintaining security and compliance. A modern, digitized system ensures authorized workers remain employed, supports workforce continuity, and allows employers to plan responsibly in a competitive global economy.

SHRM advocates for an employment-based immigration system that is responsive to real-time workforce needs, recognizes regional and industry-specific labor shortages, and supports workers across the skills spectrum to enhance U.S. competitiveness. Employers in different regions face vastly different labor market conditions, yet current visa allocations lack the flexibility to adjust to these realities.

To address this, SHRM supports gradually shifting a greater share of visas toward employment-based categories, ensuring that employers can access lawful talent during periods of acute shortage. Importantly, this approach does not diminish family-based immigration pathways but rather promotes a balanced system that strengthens both workforce stability and economic growth.

SHRM also supports simplifying and modernizing visa pathways for industries facing persistent labor shortages, including health care, advanced manufacturing, infrastructure, and technology. More responsive and flexible visa options — grounded in labor market data rather than rigid caps — would allow employers to adapt to changing conditions, fill critical skill gaps, and drive innovation. A secure, predictable employment-based system is essential to sustaining productivity and maintaining America’s global competitiveness.

SHRM promotes policies that provide stability for employers and workers who are essential to the U.S. economy. This includes allowing year-round eligibility for seasonal employment visas, releasing additional H-2A and H-2B visas, and ensuring timely processing to meet employer demand. Many industries — such as agriculture, hospitality, tourism, and landscaping — depend on seasonal workers to sustain operations.

SHRM also supports greater legal and regulatory consistency for DACA recipients, who contribute meaningfully to U.S. workplaces and communities. Providing clarity and continuity for these individuals supports workforce stability while maintaining security and compliance. Across all programs, SHRM remains committed to collaborating with policymakers to advance a workplace immigration system that is safe, efficient, transparent, and responsive to real labor market needs.

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Workplace Immigration

Removing Talent Barriers: SHRM’s Workplace Immigration Strategies