Over 2,000 commenters responded to the Department of Labor’s request for input on occupations that should be added to the “Schedule A” shortage list, which presumes U.S. workers are not available in a listed occupation and speeds employer applications for green cards for workers in those jobs.

The construction industry will need to attract an estimated 501,000 additional workers on top of the normal pace of hiring in 2024 to meet the demand for labor, according to a proprietary model developed by Associated Builders and Contractors.

Construction employment climbed in 31 states from July to August, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America on Sept. 16. The gains come even as the vast majority of contractors report they would have added more workers if they could find them, according to a survey the association released at the end of August.

The price of materials and services used in nonresidential construction declined by 1.1 percent from July to August as a steep drop in fuel prices masked increases in the cost of other construction inputs, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government data released on Sept. 14. Association officials cautioned that limited price declines cannot undo the harm of clogged supply lines and labor shortages.

Eighty percent of construction firms report they are having a hard time filling hourly craft positions that represent the bulk of the construction workforce.

On Tuesday, August 27 at 1 p.m. EDT, the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) and Autodesk will release new data showing the severity of construction worker shortages nationwide and by region and state* during a media conference call at 1-800-875-3456 (use passcode: "Brian Turmail").