As a record construction boom collides with chronic labor shortages, analysis says the U.S. construction industry is more reliant on immigrant workers than ever.
Nationwide, over a quarter of the construction workforce is foreign-born. As federal immigration enforcement ramps up, these markets in particular could see crews thin out, costs climb, and key projects delayed.
A new analysis from Construction Coverage says the construction industry in Illinois employs a total of 86,931 foreign-born workers. Overall, 25.5% of its construction industry workforce is foreign-born—the 14th largest share in the nation.
The full report covers over 260 U.S. metros and all 50 states, with a detailed breakdown of the share and number of foreign-born construction workers, total construction employment, and the percentage of all workers who are foreign-born in each location.
