Computer Occupations: H-1B 80% of (Recession Recovery) Employment Level Growth 2011-2013

During the "recovery" from the most severe economic times since the Great Depression, 80% of Computer Employment Growth went to new H-1B immigrants.

Recession and recovery periods are critically important, foreign labor work authorizations  during these periods must be highly scrutinized.

The BLS Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) offer us of view of the occupational levels from year to year.  Released in May of each year, the titles can be a bit misleading, for instance, the May 2013 report covers from the end of May 2012 through April 2013 -- so the MAY 2013 OES report in question aligns almost perfectly with the Fiscal Year 2012 H-1B Characteristics report from USCIS (Fiscal year begins on April 1).

The H-1B is a 3 year visa in its fist term, with a single 3 year extension and unlimited 1 year extensions for those who have secured PERM employment sponsorship for a Green Card. 

In order to compare employment level growth and H-1B foreign labor assumption of employment growth, we need to look at the 3 year period where the H-1B is known to have employment authorization.
 

H-1B New Employment Approvals  in Computer Occupations

FY 2012 = 83,444 (61.4% of total new approvals)
FY 2011 = 51,570 ( 48.9% of total new approvals )
FY 2010 = 31,661 ( 41.8 of total new approvals)
Total 166,675
Source: USCIS Reports and Studies

Concerning the employment level Gain or Losses, a portion of the Computer Occupations do not require a bachelors degree or higher and therefore, should not be eligible for the H-1B program.

Computer Occupations, 3 year Employment Level Loss Gain
Bachelors Degree or Higher = 206,240 *
Associate Degree =  73,870

* The Bachelors Degree or Higher contains Web Developers, which is an Associate Degree entry position, but that number cannot be extracted from this data-series.

 Once again, we see that of the employment growth that is H-1B eligible, 206,240  jobs, 166,875 of these jobs (89%) went to H-1B "temporary" immigrants.


Meanwhile, 235,818 entry degrees, 125,393 bachelors and 110,425 associate degrees, were awarded to citizens and permanent residents in Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services from 2010 to 2012.
Source: WebCaspar NCSES

Occupational Employment Statistics - Data

			2011	2013	Emp. Loss / Growth
	Computer Occupations		3,293,020	3,573,120
					Bachelors	Associate
15-1111	Computer and Information Research Scientists		25,160	24,380	-780
15-1121	Computer Systems Analysts		487,740	507,100	19,360
15-1131	Computer Programmers		320,100	312,340	-7,760
15-1132	Software Developers, Applications		539,880	643,830	103,950
15-1133	Software Developers, Systems Software		387,050	373,510	-13,540
15-1141	Database Administrators		108,500	114,910	6,410
15-1142	Network and Computer Systems Administrators		341,800	362,310	20,510
15-1150	Computer Support Specialists		632,490	706,360		73,870
15-1179	Information Security Analysts, Web Developers, and Computer Network Architects		272,670	332,110	59,440	*
15-1799	Computer Occupations, All Other*		177,630	196,280	18,650
Totals			3,293,020	3,573,130	206,240	73,870	26%

Source data: http://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm