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OPINION
The case for global talent
Firms that critically consider how best to leverage this tool today are better positioned to win the projects of tomorrow.
I n today’s fast-paced global economy and competitive labor market, companies are facing the growing challenge of finding the right candidate to fill their open positions. Attracting and retaining skilled STEM workers is critical to business growth and long-term success.
So while the ACEC Research Institute found that the engineering and design industry grew more than 5 percent and added more than $656 billion to the U.S. GDP in 2023, 51 percent of respondents to their Q4 2024 Engineering Business Sentiment Report stated that they had to “turn down work due to labor shortages,” while 26 percent of firms also indicated they were “turning down good, profitable projects.” One strategy often overlooked is foreign national talent. For many firms, the cost, time, and challenges of navigating the U.S. immigration system can make this option feel unattainable. Others may not even know what’s possible when it comes to sponsoring an employee or have heard only about long wait times or complicated processes. In reality, U.S. immigration pathways can be a powerful tool for filling gaps in workforce, recruiting
high skill employees, and retaining top performers. When balanced against the costs of prolonged vacancies, turnover, recruiting fees, and the revenue lost from contracts that were turned down, this opportunity can deliver a strong return on investment. WHY AEC FIRMS SHOULD CONSIDER AN IMMIGRATION STRATEGY. Recent research from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that the U.S. had 8 million job openings as of March 2025, but only 6.8 million unemployed workers available to fill those jobs. In 2023, a record 1.13 million international students were enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities, according to a report from the Institute for
Nam Douglass, Esq.
See NAM DOUGLASS , page 8
THE ZWEIG LETTER JULY 7, 2025, ISSUE 1592
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