Unlocking Opportunity: Equipping Businesses in Michigan to Hire and Retain International Talent
Photo Credit: Ashley Cefali
ImLaw attorney Susan Im spoke at two events in 2024 aimed at equipping businesses of all sizes to better understand the process of hiring and retaining international talent. As our communities continue to be enriched by international students and immigrants, these resources help ensure that employers understand how to fill the talent gaps they face within critical positions.
According to research by the American Immigration Council (AIC), Michigan has a sizable immigrant community. They note, “As neighbors, business owners, taxpayers, and workers, immigrants are an integral part of Michigan’s diverse and thriving communities and make extensive contributions that benefit all.” Recent data from 2022 shows that:
6.9% of Michigan’s residents are foreign-born
3.7% of its U.S.-born residents live with at least one immigrant parent
8.3% of Michigan’s labor force are immigrants
11.1% of entrepreneurs, 18.6% of STEM workers, and 8.4% of nurses in Michigan are immigrants
Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
In February 2024, Susan was a panelist at Demystifying the Visa Hiring Process: A Guide to Hiring International Students. The goal of the event was to help employers understand what steps to take to hire an international student as an intern or employee. In a collaborative effort, the program was sponsored by ImLaw as well as West Michigan Tech Talent, Bravo LT, and GVSU’s College of Computing, Career Center, and Data Science Society. GVNext writer Michele Coffill provided an excellent recap of the event and noted comments from several of the speakers:
“International students have the motivation, the skills, the dedication to their work. To pack up everything and go to a school by themselves is not an easy decision. This is a group of people who figure things out and are excellent problem solvers.” - Anthony Chang, Founder and CEO of BAMF Health
“We want our organizations to reflect the demographics of the community. There is a shortage of nurses and a leaking pipeline. We have grand goals to make Grand Rapids a tech hub. International students have the drive, the passion, and the commitment to excellence.” - Stella Michael, Director of Digital Services for Corewell Health
“These are extremely motivated individuals who would be a great addition to any company.” - Theodore Jones, Senior Director of Talent Initiatives for Global Detroit
Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills
Just a few months later in July, Susan was invited to participate in another panel organized by many of the same partners titled Unlocking Opportunity: Accessing International Talent. GVSU Forum writer Shelby Harrison covered the event here. In addition to highlighting employment-based immigration work visas like the H-1B, alternatives to the H-1B visa, and green card options, the panelists described ways that international students can intern and work for U.S. employers. Contrary to misconceptions, work authorization for international students typically incurs no costs for the employer. Of note are several avenues that international students may utilize to work while they are in school, such as F-1 CPT and OPT. This has the multiple benefits of allowing students to earn income, gain relevant experience, and also help employers fully staff essential roles.
There are about 33,000 international students at Michigan colleges and universities. AIC notes that international students “contribute tens of billions of dollars to the U.S. economy every year and support a significant number of U.S. jobs through their tuition payments and day-to-day spending. Research has also found that increases in the number of international students at American universities boost innovation and patent creation.” At ImLaw, we’re proud to be a part of educating our local communities about the feasibility and benefits of accessing international talent. With a broad scope of business-based immigration expertise, ImLaw is able to advise employers on a wide variety of issues. Get in touch with our team to learn more.