{"id":644,"date":"2026-08-02T09:06:06","date_gmt":"2026-08-02T14:06:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/?p=644"},"modified":"2026-08-02T09:21:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-02T14:21:55","slug":"the-technology-jobs-everybody-thinks-disappeared-were-never-here","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/the-technology-jobs-everybody-thinks-disappeared-were-never-here\/","title":{"rendered":"The Technology Jobs Everybody Thinks Disappeared Were Never Here"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.viz-root { color-scheme: light; --surface-1: #fcfcfb; --page: #f9f9f7; --text-primary: #0b0b0b; --text-secondary: #52514e; --text-muted: #898781; --gridline: #e1e0d9; --baseline: #c3c2b7; --border: rgba(11,11,11,0.10); --series-1: #2a78d6; --series-2: #eb6834; --series-3: #4c9a5b; --callout-bg: #f0efec; } @media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) { :root:where(:not([data-theme=\"light\"])) .viz-root { color-scheme: dark; --surface-1: #1a1a19; --page: #0d0d0d; --text-primary: #ffffff; --text-secondary: #c3c2b7; --text-muted: #898781; --gridline: #2c2c2a; --baseline: #383835; --border: rgba(255,255,255,0.10); --series-1: #3987e5; --series-2: #d95926; --series-3: #5cb56d; --callout-bg: #232322; } } :root[data-theme=\"dark\"] .viz-root { color-scheme: dark; --surface-1: #1a1a19; --page: #0d0d0d; --text-primary: #ffffff; --text-secondary: #c3c2b7; --text-muted: #898781; --gridline: #2c2c2a; --baseline: #383835; --border: rgba(255,255,255,0.10); --series-1: #3987e5; --series-2: #d95926; --series-3: #5cb56d; --callout-bg: #232322; } .viz-root { background: var(--page); color: var(--text-primary); font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, \"Segoe UI\", sans-serif; padding: 24px; } .viz-root .wrap { max-width: 1040px; margin: 0 auto; } .viz-root h1 { font-size: 20px; margin: 0 0 4px; font-weight: 600; } .viz-root .subtitle { color: var(--text-secondary); font-size: 13px; margin: 0 0 20px; max-width: 76ch; line-height: 1.5; } .viz-root .stat-row { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr); gap: 12px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .viz-root .stat-tile { background: var(--surface-1); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 10px; padding: 14px 16px; } .viz-root .stat-label { font-size: 12px; color: var(--text-secondary); margin-bottom: 6px; } .viz-root .stat-value { font-size: 20px; font-weight: 600; } .viz-root .stat-sub { font-size: 11px; color: var(--text-muted); margin-top: 4px; line-height: 1.4; } .viz-root .card { background: var(--surface-1); border: 1px solid var(--border); border-radius: 12px; padding: 18px 20px 12px; margin-bottom: 20px; } .viz-root .card-title { font-size: 14px; font-weight: 600; margin-bottom: 4px; } .viz-root .card-desc { font-size: 12px; color: var(--text-secondary); margin: 2px 0 10px; max-width: 76ch; line-height: 1.5; } .viz-root .legend { display: flex; gap: 14px; font-size: 12px; color: var(--text-secondary); margin-top: 10px; flex-wrap: wrap; } .viz-root .legend-item { display: flex; align-items: center; gap: 6px; } .viz-root .legend-swatch { width: 10px; height: 10px; border-radius: 2px; display: inline-block; } .viz-root .chart-scroll { overflow-x: auto; } .viz-root svg { display: block; overflow: visible; max-width: 100%; height: auto; } .viz-root .gridline { stroke: var(--gridline); stroke-width: 1; } .viz-root .baseline { stroke: var(--baseline); stroke-width: 1; } .viz-root .axis-label { fill: var(--text-muted); font-size: 9px; } .viz-root .row-label { fill: var(--text-secondary); font-size: 10.5px; } .viz-root .val-label { fill: var(--text-secondary); font-size: 10px; font-weight: 600; } .viz-root .val-label-sm { fill: var(--text-secondary); font-size: 8px; font-weight: 600; } .viz-root .callout { background: var(--callout-bg); border-radius: 8px; padding: 10px 14px; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.55; color: var(--text-secondary); margin-top: 10px; } .viz-root .callout b { color: var(--text-primary); } .viz-root footer.foot { font-size: 11px; color: var(--text-muted); text-align: center; margin-top: 24px; } @media (max-width: 640px) { .viz-root .stat-row { grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; } }<\/style>\n<div class=\"viz-root\">\n<div class=\"wrap\">\n<h1>The technology jobs everybody thinks disappeared were never here<\/h1>\n<p class=\"subtitle\">Years of headlines about tech layoffs have created a widely held belief that computer and technology jobs are vanishing from the U.S. economy. The occupation-level data says otherwise &mdash; and the reason for the gap between perception and reality turns out to be about where those jobs are actually classified, not whether they exist. Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), SOC 15-0000 &#8220;Computer and Mathematical Occupations,&#8221; 2004&ndash;2024; DOL\/OFLC H-1B LCA disclosure data by SOC code, 2010&ndash;2024.<\/p>\n<div class=\"stat-row\">\n<div class=\"stat-tile\">\n<div class=\"stat-label\">SOC 15-0000 employment, 2004 &rarr; 2024<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-value\">2.92M &rarr; 5.19M<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-sub\">+2.28 million jobs, +78%, over 20 years<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-tile\">\n<div class=\"stat-label\">2023 &rarr; 2024 net change<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-value\">+15,490<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-sub\">Smaller than most years on record, but still a gain &mdash; not a loss<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-tile\">\n<div class=\"stat-label\">2024 H-1B LCAs, SOC 15<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-value\">566,993<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-sub\">63.7% of all H-1B\/E-3\/H-1B1 LCAs filed that year<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-tile\">\n<div class=\"stat-label\">Where those jobs actually sit<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-value\">NAICS 54: 35.4%<\/div>\n<div class=\"stat-sub\">vs. just 14.0% in NAICS 51 &#8220;Information&#8221; &mdash; the sector most layoff headlines come from<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card\">\n<div class=\"card-title\">National employment, Computer &amp; Mathematical Occupations (SOC 15-0000), 2004&ndash;2024<\/div>\n<p class=\"card-desc\">This is every worker BLS counts in computer and mathematical occupations nationwide &mdash; software developers, systems analysts, IT support, data scientists, network engineers, and the rest of SOC 15 &mdash; regardless of what industry employs them. The only down years on record are 2009&ndash;2010, during the financial crisis. Every other year, including 2022&ndash;2024, the years most associated in the press with mass tech layoffs, employment grew.<\/p>\n<div class=\"chart-scroll\"><svg width=\"900\" height=\"260\" viewBox=\"0 0 900 260\"><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"230.00\" y2=\"230.00\" class=\"baseline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"233.00\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">2.5M<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"194.33\" y2=\"194.33\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"197.33\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">3.0M<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"158.67\" y2=\"158.67\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"161.67\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">3.5M<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"123.00\" y2=\"123.00\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"126.00\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">4.0M<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"87.33\" y2=\"87.33\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"90.33\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">4.5M<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"51.67\" y2=\"51.67\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"54.67\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">5.0M<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"16.00\" y2=\"16.00\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"19.00\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">5.5M<\/text><text x=\"56.0\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2004<\/text><text x=\"138.8\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2006<\/text><text x=\"221.6\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2008<\/text><text x=\"304.4\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2010<\/text><text x=\"387.2\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2012<\/text><text x=\"470.0\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2014<\/text><text x=\"552.8\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2016<\/text><text x=\"635.6\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2018<\/text><text x=\"718.4\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2020<\/text><text x=\"801.2\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2022<\/text><text x=\"884.0\" y=\"254.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">2024<\/text><path d=\"M56.00 200.38 L97.40 197.70 L138.80 188.90 L180.20 180.68 L221.60 172.34 L263.00 172.67 L304.40 174.08 L345.80 165.32 L387.20 153.09 L428.60 144.67 L470.00 134.83 L511.40 122.63 L552.80 111.22 L594.20 104.35 L635.60 95.59 L677.00 83.56 L718.40 81.08 L759.80 76.29 L801.20 51.39 L842.60 39.01 L884.00 37.91\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"var(--series-1)\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-linecap=\"round\"><\/path><circle cx=\"884.00\" cy=\"37.91\" r=\"3.5\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" stroke=\"var(--surface-1)\" stroke-width=\"1.5\"><\/circle><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"callout\"><b>The recent slowdown is real, but it&#8217;s a slowdown, not a decline.<\/b> 2022 alone added 349,160 jobs to this occupation &mdash; the single best year on record. 2023 added another 173,490. 2024 added just 15,490 &mdash; a sharp deceleration that lines up with the layoff headlines &mdash; but the total kept climbing. Nationally, the occupation has not shrunk.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card\">\n<div class=\"card-title\">H-1B applications for computer &amp; math occupations (SOC 15), by year<\/div>\n<p class=\"card-desc\">The same years show sustained, large H-1B activity specifically in this occupation. This is LCA filing volume &mdash; it includes renewals, extensions, amendments, and employer transfers, not just new hires, so it should not be read as &#8220;this many new workers.&#8221; What it does show is the program&#8217;s scale and persistence in exactly the occupation this report is about, running alongside the employment trend above rather than in place of it.<\/p>\n<div class=\"chart-scroll\"><svg width=\"900\" height=\"260\" viewBox=\"0 0 900 260\"><line x1=\"50.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"220.00\" y2=\"220.00\" class=\"baseline\"><\/line><text x=\"44.0\" y=\"223.00\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">0K<\/text><line x1=\"50.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"186.67\" y2=\"186.67\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"44.0\" y=\"189.67\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">100K<\/text><line x1=\"50.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"153.33\" y2=\"153.33\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"44.0\" y=\"156.33\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">200K<\/text><line x1=\"50.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"120.00\" y2=\"120.00\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"44.0\" y=\"123.00\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">300K<\/text><line x1=\"50.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"86.67\" y2=\"86.67\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"44.0\" y=\"89.67\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">400K<\/text><line x1=\"50.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"53.33\" y2=\"53.33\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"44.0\" y=\"56.33\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">500K<\/text><line x1=\"50.0\" x2=\"884.0\" y1=\"20.00\" y2=\"20.00\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"44.0\" y=\"23.00\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">600K<\/text><rect x=\"60.6\" y=\"167.4\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"52.6\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"77.8\" y=\"162.4\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">158K<\/text><text x=\"77.8\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;10<\/text><rect x=\"116.2\" y=\"159.2\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"60.8\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"133.4\" y=\"154.2\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">183K<\/text><text x=\"133.4\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;11<\/text><rect x=\"171.8\" y=\"141.9\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"78.1\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"189.0\" y=\"136.9\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">234K<\/text><text x=\"189.0\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;12<\/text><rect x=\"227.4\" y=\"128.7\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"91.3\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"244.6\" y=\"123.7\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">274K<\/text><text x=\"244.6\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;13<\/text><rect x=\"283.0\" y=\"107.7\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"112.3\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"300.2\" y=\"102.7\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">337K<\/text><text x=\"300.2\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;14<\/text><rect x=\"338.6\" y=\"77.9\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"142.1\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"355.8\" y=\"72.9\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">426K<\/text><text x=\"355.8\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;15<\/text><rect x=\"394.2\" y=\"70.1\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"149.9\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"411.4\" y=\"65.1\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">450K<\/text><text x=\"411.4\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;16<\/text><rect x=\"449.8\" y=\"77.6\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"142.4\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"467.0\" y=\"72.6\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">427K<\/text><text x=\"467.0\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;17<\/text><rect x=\"505.4\" y=\"71.3\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"148.7\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"522.6\" y=\"66.3\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">446K<\/text><text x=\"522.6\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;18<\/text><rect x=\"561.0\" y=\"66.9\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"153.1\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"578.2\" y=\"61.9\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">459K<\/text><text x=\"578.2\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;19<\/text><rect x=\"616.6\" y=\"87.1\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"132.9\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"633.8\" y=\"82.1\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">399K<\/text><text x=\"633.8\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;20<\/text><rect x=\"672.2\" y=\"37.2\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"182.8\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"689.4\" y=\"32.2\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">549K<\/text><text x=\"689.4\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;21<\/text><rect x=\"727.8\" y=\"81.0\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"139.0\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"745.0\" y=\"76.0\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">417K<\/text><text x=\"745.0\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;22<\/text><rect x=\"783.4\" y=\"81.4\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"138.6\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"800.6\" y=\"76.4\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">416K<\/text><text x=\"800.6\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;23<\/text><rect x=\"839.0\" y=\"31.0\" width=\"34.5\" height=\"189.0\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"856.2\" y=\"26.0\" class=\"val-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">567K<\/text><text x=\"856.2\" y=\"234.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;24<\/text><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"legend\">\n<div class=\"legend-item\"><span class=\"legend-swatch\" style=\"background:var(--series-2)\"><\/span><span>H-1B\/E-3\/H-1B1 LCAs filed for SOC 15 occupations (thousands)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"callout\">2009 is excluded here &mdash; that year&#8217;s H-1B table shows an unexplained, sharply lower total record count than every surrounding year (consistent with an incomplete import rather than a real one-year collapse), so it isn&#8217;t reliable enough to chart. Data resumes cleanly at 2010.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card\">\n<div class=\"card-title\">Jobs added vs. H-1B applications, side by side, 2010&ndash;2024<\/div>\n<p class=\"card-desc\">This is the two charts above overlaid year by year: the actual net change in national SOC 15-0000 employment that year (blue, can go negative &mdash; it does in 2010), against H-1B\/E-3\/H-1B1 LCAs filed for SOC 15 that same year (orange). H-1B volume is larger than net job growth in <b>every single year shown<\/b>, sometimes by a wide margin &mdash; 2024 is the starkest, 567,000 applications against just 15,000 net jobs added, roughly 37 to 1. <b>That gap is expected and shouldn&#8217;t be read as &#8220;H-1B replaced 37 native jobs for every 1 created&#8221;<\/b> &mdash; most LCA filings are for workers already in the country (renewals, extensions, employer transfers), not brand-new positions, so the two bars aren&#8217;t counting the same thing. What the comparison does show plainly: the program&#8217;s activity in this occupation has been consistently large relative to the occupation&#8217;s actual net growth for a decade and a half, including in the one year &mdash; 2024 &mdash; where that growth nearly stalled.<\/p>\n<div class=\"chart-scroll\"><svg width=\"950\" height=\"300\" viewBox=\"0 0 950 300\"><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"934.0\" y1=\"260.00\" y2=\"260.00\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"263.00\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">-100K<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"934.0\" y1=\"225.71\" y2=\"225.71\" class=\"baseline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"228.71\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">0K<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"934.0\" y1=\"191.43\" y2=\"191.43\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"194.43\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">100K<\/text><line x1=\"56.0\" x2=\"934.0\" y1=\"157.14\" y2=\"157.14\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"50.0\" y=\"160.14\" 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text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;18<\/text><rect x=\"591.6\" y=\"167.9\" width=\"18.7\" height=\"57.8\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"600.9\" y=\"163.9\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">169K<\/text><rect x=\"613.8\" y=\"68.3\" width=\"18.7\" height=\"157.4\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"623.2\" y=\"64.3\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">459K<\/text><text x=\"612.1\" y=\"274.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;19<\/text><rect x=\"650.1\" y=\"213.8\" width=\"18.7\" height=\"11.9\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"659.5\" y=\"209.8\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">35K<\/text><rect x=\"672.4\" y=\"89.0\" width=\"18.7\" height=\"136.7\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"681.7\" y=\"85.0\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">399K<\/text><text x=\"670.6\" y=\"274.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;20<\/text><rect x=\"708.6\" 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fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"835.1\" y=\"162.2\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">173K<\/text><rect x=\"848.0\" y=\"83.1\" width=\"18.7\" height=\"142.6\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"857.3\" y=\"79.1\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">416K<\/text><text x=\"846.2\" y=\"274.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;23<\/text><rect x=\"884.2\" y=\"220.4\" width=\"18.7\" height=\"5.3\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"893.6\" y=\"216.4\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">15K<\/text><rect x=\"906.5\" y=\"31.3\" width=\"18.7\" height=\"194.4\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"915.9\" y=\"27.3\" class=\"val-label-sm\" text-anchor=\"middle\">567K<\/text><text x=\"904.7\" y=\"274.0\" class=\"axis-label\" text-anchor=\"middle\">&#8217;24<\/text><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"legend\">\n<div class=\"legend-item\"><span class=\"legend-swatch\" style=\"background:var(--series-1)\"><\/span><span>Net change in SOC 15-0000 employment that year (can be negative)<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"legend-item\"><span class=\"legend-swatch\" style=\"background:var(--series-2)\"><\/span><span>H-1B\/E-3\/H-1B1 LCAs filed for SOC 15 that year<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card\">\n<div class=\"card-title\">Where computer &amp; math jobs actually sit, by industry &mdash; 2024<\/div>\n<p class=\"card-desc\">This is the part that explains the gap between perception and reality. When people picture &#8220;tech jobs,&#8221; they picture NAICS 51 &mdash; Information: software publishers, internet companies, telecom, media &mdash; the sector most mass-layoff headlines come from. But that sector accounts for only <b>14.0%<\/b> of the nation&#8217;s computer &amp; math occupation workforce. More than twice as many &mdash; <b>35.4%<\/b> &mdash; sit in NAICS 54, Professional, Scientific &amp; Technical Services: IT consulting, computer systems design services, engineering services, staffing firms. Those companies rarely make headlines because they&#8217;re vendors and contractors serving every other industry, not household names. The rest are scattered across finance, manufacturing, government, education, and virtually every other sector on the list &mdash; because by 2024, writing code and running systems is not a &#8220;tech industry&#8221; job, it&#8217;s a function every industry does in-house.<\/p>\n<div class=\"chart-scroll\"><svg width=\"750\" height=\"404\" viewBox=\"0 0 750 404\"><line x1=\"300.0\" x2=\"300.0\" y1=\"6.0\" y2=\"394.0\" class=\"baseline\"><\/line><line x1=\"395.0\" x2=\"395.0\" y1=\"6.0\" y2=\"394.0\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><line x1=\"490.0\" x2=\"490.0\" y1=\"6.0\" y2=\"394.0\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><line x1=\"585.0\" x2=\"585.0\" y1=\"6.0\" y2=\"394.0\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><line x1=\"680.0\" x2=\"680.0\" y1=\"6.0\" y2=\"394.0\" class=\"gridline\"><\/line><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"29.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Prof., Scientific &amp; Technical Services (NAICS 54)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"13.0\" width=\"349.4\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-2)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"654.4\" y=\"29.0\" class=\"val-label\">1,838,900 (35.4%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"61.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Information (NAICS 51)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"45.0\" width=\"137.7\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-3)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"442.7\" y=\"61.0\" class=\"val-label\">724,520 (14%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"93.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Finance and Insurance (NAICS 52)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"77.0\" width=\"97.4\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"402.4\" y=\"93.0\" class=\"val-label\">512,670 (9.9%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"125.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Management of Companies (NAICS 55)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"109.0\" width=\"70.4\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"375.4\" y=\"125.0\" class=\"val-label\">370,290 (7.1%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"157.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Manufacturing (NAICS 31-33)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"141.0\" width=\"59.4\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"364.4\" y=\"157.0\" class=\"val-label\">312,540 (6%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"189.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Government (fed\/state\/local, excl. schools) (NAICS 99)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"173.0\" width=\"57.1\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"362.1\" y=\"189.0\" class=\"val-label\">300,740 (5.8%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"221.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Admin &amp; Support Services (NAICS 56)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"205.0\" width=\"51.1\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"356.1\" y=\"221.0\" class=\"val-label\">269,000 (5.2%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"253.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Educational Services (NAICS 61)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"237.0\" width=\"48.7\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"353.7\" y=\"253.0\" class=\"val-label\">256,410 (4.9%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"285.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Wholesale Trade (NAICS 42)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"269.0\" width=\"38.7\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"343.7\" y=\"285.0\" class=\"val-label\">203,560 (3.9%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"317.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Health Care &amp; Social Assistance (NAICS 62)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"301.0\" width=\"30.1\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"335.1\" y=\"317.0\" class=\"val-label\">158,440 (3.1%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"349.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Transportation &amp; Warehousing (NAICS 48-49)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"333.0\" width=\"10.7\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"315.7\" y=\"349.0\" class=\"val-label\">56,380 (1.1%)<\/text><text x=\"290.0\" y=\"381.0\" class=\"row-label\" text-anchor=\"end\">Retail Trade (NAICS 44-45)<\/text><rect x=\"300.0\" y=\"365.0\" width=\"9.0\" height=\"26.0\" fill=\"var(--series-1)\" rx=\"2\"><\/rect><text x=\"314.0\" y=\"381.0\" class=\"val-label\">47,540 (0.9%)<\/text><\/svg><\/div>\n<div class=\"legend\">\n<div class=\"legend-item\"><span class=\"legend-swatch\" style=\"background:var(--series-2)\"><\/span><span>NAICS 54 &mdash; Professional, Scientific &amp; Technical Services<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"legend-item\"><span class=\"legend-swatch\" style=\"background:var(--series-3)\"><\/span><span>NAICS 51 &mdash; Information<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"legend-item\"><span class=\"legend-swatch\" style=\"background:var(--series-1)\"><\/span><span>All other sectors<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"card\">\n<div class=\"card-title\">What this actually means<\/div>\n<p class=\"card-desc\">Two things are both true at once, and they don&#8217;t contradict each other. Real, visible layoffs happened at real, recognizable companies &mdash; mostly ones classified under NAICS 51, Information, which is exactly the slice of the economy that generates headlines when it cuts staff. And at the same time, national employment in computer &amp; mathematical occupations grew in 19 of the last 21 years, including the exact years the layoffs made news, because that sector is only 14% of where these jobs live. The other 86% &mdash; consulting firms, finance, manufacturers, hospitals, universities, government agencies, retailers &mdash; mostly kept hiring, they just don&#8217;t put out press releases when they do. The jobs people think disappeared didn&#8217;t disappear. Most of them were never concentrated in the industry people were watching in the first place.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"foot\">Data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), National estimates and National Industry-Specific estimates, SOC 15-0000, May 2004&ndash;May 2024 &middot; DOL\/OFLC H-1B, H-1B1 &amp; E-3 LCA disclosure data by SOC code, 2010&ndash;2024.<\/footer>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The technology jobs everybody thinks disappeared were never here Years of headlines about tech layoffs have created a widely held belief that computer and technology jobs are vanishing from the U.S. economy. The occupation-level data says otherwise &mdash; and the reason for the gap between perception and reality turns out to be about where those &#8230; <a title=\"The Technology Jobs Everybody Thinks Disappeared Were Never Here\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/the-technology-jobs-everybody-thinks-disappeared-were-never-here\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about The Technology Jobs Everybody Thinks Disappeared Were Never Here\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,27],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-644","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-h-1b","category-labor-market"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=644"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":647,"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/644\/revisions\/647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=644"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=644"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/guestworkervisas.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=644"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}