As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, organizations need to carefully assess how potential immigration policy shifts could impact their workforce mobility programs. With a Republican senate flip looking increasingly likely, the ability for either President Biden or a potential President Trump to enact major immigration legislation would likely be significantly constrained by a split government. Here is a summary of our weekly immigration update from Frangomen's Julia Onslow-Cole.
Regardless of who occupies the White House next year, both President Biden and former President Trump have taken clear stances on immigration through previous executive orders and policies. A second Biden term would likely continue promoting immigration as a driver of economic growth and cultural enrichment. In contrast, a return to Trump-era policies would aim to reduce legal and illegal immigration in the stated interest of national well-being.
While legislative gridlock may limit substantive immigration reform, the next administration can still wield considerable influence through executive orders, regulatory changes, adjustments to application processing procedures, and enforcement priorities. As Trump demonstrated during his first term, significant alterations can be made by reallocating resources toward or away from services like application processing versus enforcement activities.
With the potential for volatility, global mobility professionals should start preparing their immigration roadmaps now.
Some key considerations include:
- Analyze your mobile workforce population and pipeline to identify risk areas
- For critical or expiring cases, evaluate accelerating hire dates or renewal timelines
- Take advantage of current favorable policies, such as STEM recruitment incentives, where appropriate to establish reliance interests
- Develop contingency plans for responding to policy shifts impacting future talent flows
Staying proactive and building flexibility into your mobility strategies will be critical as the 2024 elections draw closer. Don't be caught off guard — start reviewing your workforce scenarios and developing contingency plans now.
You can access the complete update here.
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