Why Isn't the United States Leading the Charge Against Noncitizen Labor Exploitation?
While dozens of countries have implemented strong employer-paid measures — levies, quotas, surcharges, and compliance costs — to prioritize their own citizens and reduce over-reliance on noncitizen labor, the United States stands out for the opposite reason: the United States has no comprehensive federal policy that systematically disincentivizes noncitizen hiring or levels the playing field for qualified American citizen workers.
Look at the global picture:
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Singapore, Canada, Australia, South Africa, France, Malaysia, Bahrain, Indonesia, Nigeria, Switzerland, Egypt, Botswana, Ghana, Kuwait, India, Oman, United Kingdom, Qatar, New Zealand, and Japan all use tools like citizen hiring quotas (Nitaqat, Emiratization, Omanization, Kuwaitization, etc.), labor market tests (LMIA in Canada, Skilling Australians Fund levy, etc.), noncitizen worker levies, and financial penalties or incentives that explicitly favor citizens over noncitizens — including permanent residents in many cases.
These policies often include:
- Mandatory advertising of jobs to locals first
- Higher fees, levies, or taxes on employers hiring noncitizens
- Quotas with fines or loss of government contracts for non-compliance
- Training funds or subsidies specifically for hiring and upskilling citizens
The result? Reduced wage suppression, higher domestic employment, and more balanced labor markets.
Yet the United States has none of these systematic disincentives.
The United States relies on basic I-9 verification and employer-sponsored visas (like H-1B with lottery/caps) without mandatory citizen-priority rules, labor market testing in most sectors, or employer-paid levies on non-citizen hires. This leaves American citizen workers without the structural protections many peer nations provide.
That changes now.
With the NAICS 561399 (Foreign Labor Placement & Management Services), NAICS 611319 (International Student Enrollment & Compliance Services), and NAICS 518219 (Workforce Automation and AI Substitution Services) proposals already submitted to the Census Bureau, paired with the U.S. Citizen Workforce Protection and Employment Act, U.S. Citizen Student Education Protection Act, and U.S. AI Utilization and Workforce Protection Act.
The United States is poised to leap ahead.
Our framework introduces tiered levies on noncitizen labor and student enrollment, transparency through dedicated industry codes, compliance mandates, and reinvestment of trillions in revenue back into American citizen workers, training, scholarships, and security.
No longer will we lag.
These reforms will make the U.S. the undisputed global leader in protecting domestic citizen talent, curbing exploitation of noncitizen labor channels, and restoring economic sovereignty — while still welcoming skilled noncitizen talent where truly needed.
The data is clear. Other nations have acted. It’s time for America to lead.
Join the OnShoringAmerica movement. Support the NAICS proposals at the Census Bureau and urge Congress and President Trump via an Executive Order to pass the companion legislation.
Let’s Make American Citizen Workers #1 Again.
** United States Policy **
No specific federal policy exists to prioritize U.S. citizens for employment through taxes or levies on noncitizen hires, unlike programs in other countries. Employers must comply with general immigration and labor laws, verifying work eligibility for all employees.
Mechanism: Employers are required to verify work authorization via Form I-9 for all hires, including noncitizens, under the Immigration Reform and Control Act.
No specific taxes, levies, or quotas prioritize qualified citizen hiring.
Standard IRS payroll tax withholding applies to nonresident aliens (30% unless exempt under tax treaties), but no additional levies or fines target companies hiring authorized noncitizens. No government-funded incentives or training programs explicitly prioritize U.S. citizens.
Insight: The U.S. lacks a structured policy to financially incentivize or mandate citizen hiring over noncitizens, relying instead on general immigration compliance, which does not address wage suppression or job displacement concerns raised in other countries’ frameworks.