Infrastructure
US Construction Faces Labor Squeeze as Immigration Falls
Immigrants are 35% of the US construction trades workforce. Net migration is projected to fall to 321,000 in 2026. What it means for building.
Will Fewer Immigrants Make It Harder to Build Homes in the US?
Quick answer: It could. Harvard's Joint Center for Housing Studies says immigrants made up 35% of the construction trades workforce in 2024 though they were only 18% of the labor force, and net international migration is projected to fall sharply in 2026.
What are the key facts?
- Share of trades: foreign-born workers exceed 50% among drywall installers, plasterers, roofers and painters
- Growth: immigrants accounted for all net growth in the trades workforce since 2013
- Migration: net international migration fell from 2.7 million in 2024 to 1.3 million in 2025 and is projected at 321,000 in 2026, a drop of about 88% from 2024 (our calculation)
- Age: a growing share of the workforce is nearing retirement
Why does it matter for housing?
Fewer workers raise labor costs and slow construction, adding pressure to an already tight supply of homes.
What could offset it?
More native-born workers entering the trades. The author notes those numbers remain well below pre-recession levels.