Presidential Race Heats Up, Absence of Jobs Still a Major Problem

48.5 Million Working-age Natives Not In The Labor Force

by Marguerite Telford: A new analysis of government data by the Center for Immigration Studies shows that the number and share of working-age (16 to 65) natives not in the labor force (not working or looking for work) has remained virtually unchanged in the last four years despite the number and percentage of native-born Americans officially unemployed improving. This is especially true for those without a college education. The official unemployment rate only includes those who have looked for a job in the last four weeks. Those who have not looked for a job recently are considered to be out of the labor force and are not counted in unemployment statistics.

Dr. Steven Camarota, the Center’s director of research and author of the report, said, “Donald Trump’s focus on immigration and jobs has resonated with the American public. Many Americans are experiencing, or are watching others experience, the country’s poor employment situation and are dismissing the official unemployment rate. There is certainly no evidence of a labor shortage, and the public knows it.”

View the entire report here.

Among the findings:

• In the first quarter of this year, 48.5 million (28 percent) of working-age (16 to 65) natives were not in the labor force - not working or looking for work.
• The 28 percent of working-age natives not in the labor force has changed little from the 28.4 percent not in the labor force in first quarter of 2015 and the 28.5 percent not in the labor force in the same quarter of 2014
• Historically, the share of working-age natives not in the labor force has been much lower. In the first quarter of 2007, only 25.3 percent were not in the labor force; in the first quarter of 2000, it was 22.9 percent. 
• The number of working-age natives not in the labor force stood at 48.5 million in the first quarter of this year, well above the 42.1 million in 2007 and the 35.7 million in 2000.
• In addition to natives not in the labor force, there were also 9.7 million working-age immigrants out of the labor force in the first quarter of this year.
• In addition to those not in the labor force, there were also 8.2 million natives and immigrants unemployed in the first part of this year.
• Combining all those not in the labor force, immigrant and native, with all those who are unemployed and those forced to work part time, there were a total 72.6 million natives and immigrants unemployed, not working, or looking for full-time employment in the first quarter of this year.

Comparing the situation for those with and without a bachelor’s degree:

• Of working-age, native-born adults (18 to 65), 30.4 percent without a bachelor’s degree were not in the labor force in the first quarter of this year, a figure virtually unchanged in the last four years.
• In contrast to the 30.4 percent of natives without a bachelor’s degree who are not in the labor force, the figure is only 14.8 percent for those with a bachelor’s degree or more.
• In total, there were 47.4 million working-age adult natives and immigrants without a bachelor’s degree not working in the first part of this year.  

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