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.

View the underlying data on epi.org.