John Dorer is CEO of New York City-based EB3.work, a staffing consultancy that helps employers fill positions when they can’t hire locally. Opinions are the author’s own.
The labor shortage in the construction industry is nothing new. It’s been a top challenge for employers for well over a decade. Associated Builders and Contractors predicts that the U.S. needs to hire about 300,000 additional workers just to meet current demand. The labor force that construction companies desperately need to get the work done simply isn’t there.
John Dorer
Courtesy of EB3.work
This isn’t to say that the industry hasn’t tried to overcome these mounting challenges. But strategies like wage increases, signing bonuses and training programs, while essential, haven’t been enough to turn things around. Unfortunately, the scale of the shortage now outpaces any positive effect those solutions might be able to bring to the table.
A fix in plain sight
A small fix could pay big dividends.
The EB-3 visa program is a long-standing, employment-based green card system that gives employers in the U.S. the ability to sponsor foreign nationals. It applies to full-time work when employers are unable to find American workers for common roles. In construction, that means concrete laborers, carpenters, drywall installers, equipment operators and the like. These positions and many others are often eligible under EB-3’s “Other Workers” category.
However, the program is too often hobbled by outdated rules and overwhelming backlogs. Making the situation even more challenging is the fact that of the 10,000 green cards available each year in the “Other Workers” category, only about 3,000 go to workers. The remaining 7,000 visas are eaten up by the spouses and children of EB-3 workers, counting against the cap even though they’re not filling jobs.
The Dignity Act’s common-sense approach
A fix could be coming this year with the Dignity Act of 2025. It’s a bipartisan immigration bill and it’s been gaining support in Congress since being introduced last summer. The Dignity Act proposes a simple but critical accounting fix. Under the proposal, only the principal EB-3 worker, not their dependents, would be counted against the 10,000 visa cap, meaning 7,000 visas each year would be freed up to help alleviate this nagging shortage of labor.
It’s a small adjustment, but one that can have major implications across construction and several other industries if it passes. A simple shift of the math could triple the number of EB-3 workers that are admitted each year, without raising overall immigration numbers. It’s a meaningful change for construction employers that would create fewer backlogs and give predictable access to the workers they need.
Why the timing matters
The Dignity Act also sets aside nearly $4 billion in funding to upgrade federal agencies that are responsible for processing EB-3 visa applications. This includes the Department of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the State Department. The goal of these changes would be to move up approval timelines, cut through red tape and realize better coordination between departments, all critical for employers trying to meet staffing needs on multi-year projects.
The bill has received endorsements from groups across the political and economic spectrum, including from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Home Builders and the National Roofing Contractors Association. There is real momentum and the construction industry has much to gain from the Dignity Act’s passage.
Not a silver bullet
It’s a strong tool, but the Dignity Act certainly won’t solve every problem contributing to the ongoing labor shortage. Still, it presents a stable solution for long-term workforce planning, something that has been missing for construction companies for far too long.
Workers with an EB-3 visa arrive vetted, committed and ready to roll up their sleeves and work. Unlike those in temporary guest worker programs, these are green card holders with a path to stay, grow and contribute for the long haul. For construction companies, it means greater workforce consistency, reduced turnover and a stronger ability to take on projects with confidence.
Whether or not the Dignity Act passes in its current form, construction leaders should begin evaluating whether EB-3 sponsorship could become part of their workforce strategy. If the bill moves forward, and signs suggest it will, those who prepare now will be in the best position to reap its rewards
