U.S. employment in all occupations and top 15 H-2B occupations, 2004–2014
H-2B rank FY2014* | SOC code** | Occupation | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
00-0000 | All occupations | 128,127,360 | 130,307,840 | 132,604,980 | 134,354,250 | 135,185,230 | 130,647,610 | 127,097,160 | 128,278,550 | 130,287,700 | 132,588,810 | 135,128,260 | |
1 | 37-3011 | Landscaping and groundskeeping workers | 860,200 | 896,690 | 924,330 | 932,730 | 921,900 | 859,960 | 829,350 | 821,750 | 830,640 | 839,780 | 868,770 |
2 | 45-4011 | Forest and conservation workers | 9,140 | 8,700 | 8,530 | 8,770 | 8,280 | 5,840 | 7,040 | 8,250 | 7,910 | 6,940 | 6,870 |
3 | 39-3091 | Amusement and recreation attendants | 241,110 | 232,030 | 235,670 | 245,380 | 258,820 | 257,350 | 254,630 | 253,110 | 256,400 | 260,680 | 274,230 |
4 | 37-2012 | Maids and housekeeping cleaners | 880,150 | 893,820 | 900,040 | 915,890 | 917,120 | 887,890 | 865,960 | 877,980 | 894,920 | 917,470 | 929,540 |
5 | 51-3022 | Meat, poultry, and fish cutters and trimmers | 137,370 | 136,690 | 139,830 | 150,190 | 166,150 | 168,700 | 163,080 | 164,650 | 158,480 | 160,920 | 150,310 |
6 | 47-2061 | Construction laborers | 854,840 | 934,000 | 1,016,530 | 1,053,060 | 1,020,290 | 856,440 | 777,700 | 779,370 | 814,470 | 824,970 | 852,870 |
7 | 27-2022 | Coaches and scouts | 122,930 | 145,440 | 154,350 | 165,410 | 175,720 | 179,830 | 184,280 | 193,810 | 201,800 | 206,080 | 211,760 |
8 | 35-3031 | Waiters and waitresses | 2,219,850 | 2,274,770 | 2,312,930 | 2,357,040 | 2,371,750 | 2,302,070 | 2,244,480 | 2,289,010 | 2,332,020 | 2,403,960 | 2,445,230 |
9 | 39-2021 | Nonfarm animal caretakers | 81,110 | 100,550 | 108,130 | 118,760 | 126,740 | 132,860 | 135,070 | 144,240 | 150,140 | 154,350 | 161,820 |
10 | 45-3011 | Fishers and related fishing workers | 940 | 770 | 880 | 960 | 1,110 | 670 | 700 | 640 | 570 | 480 | 400 |
11 | 51-9198 | Helpers–production workers | 480,430 | 528,610 | 539,350 | 524,440 | 499,870 | 433,370 | 394,270 | 420,910 | 419,840 | 426,670 | 420,520 |
12 | 35-2014 | Cooks, restaurant | 765,670 | 791,450 | 825,840 | 878,990 | 899,620 | 898,820 | 901,310 | 947,060 | 1,000,710 | 1,057,550 | 1,104,790 |
13 | 53-7064 | Packers and packagers, hand | 872,260 | 840,410 | 827,470 | 798,450 | 777,630 | 706,240 | 676,870 | 666,860 | 660,670 | 672,020 | 693,170 |
14 | 35-2021 | Food preparation workers | 863,700 | 880,360 | 871,470 | 873,470 | 880,480 | 849,400 | 802,650 | 775,140 | 785,370 | 824,080 | 850,220 |
15 | 35-9011 | Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers | 390,980 | 391,320 | 401,790 | 401,070 | 416,410 | 402,020 | 390,920 | 391,290 | 395,750 | 409,700 | 410,460 |
* Number of labor certifications, from Table 1
**SOC stands for Standard Occupational Classification system used by federal agencies to classify workers into occupational categories
Source: EPI analysis of the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics and (for top 15 H-2B occupations) of H-2B disclosure data from Office of Foreign Labor Certification's Performance Data.