Fiction and Fact About Construction Jobs

Investment Analysis Clubs Macro Economic Trends and Risks
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FICTION: “As thousands of new businesses are forming, factories, plants and laboratories are being built, we have added 70,000 new construction jobs in just a very short period of time.”

— President Trump

FACT: According to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC), the construction industry added just 14,000 jobs in 2025.

2025 Construction Job Market Highlights

  • Total Jobs Added: The industry added only 14,000 net new jobs in 2025.

  • Hiring Needs: ABC estimated the industry needed to attract 439,000 net new workers in 2025.

  • Performance: This was the worst 12-month performance since 2011.

  • Sector Performance: While 2025 started slowly, nonresidential specialty trade contractors showed some momentum late in the year.

  • Unemployment: The construction unemployment rate remained low, averaging around 3.8% to 4.1% in late 2025.

  • Wages: Average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers increased by 4.5% year-over-year in November/December.

https://www.abc.org/News-Media/News-Releases/abc-construction-lost-11000-jobs-in-december-added-just-14000-jobs-in-2025#:~:text=“The%20construction%20industry%20added%20just,3.9%25%20increase%20observed%20in%20October.

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“American manufacturing revival and a turnaround for the ages”
Trump State of the Union

U.S. manufacturing employment experienced 108,000 job losses in 2025 to the end of Jan 2026. Another manufacturing sector loss of 8,000 is expected in February.

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I think we understand immigrants are an important component of construction labor.

Let’s hope Congress gets around to immigration reform one of these days. Quotas for temporary labor need to be adjusted to current needs (once borders are under control).

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They did, just a couple of years ago. The Bipartisan Border Security Bill appeared to have the votes to pass, but Donald denounced it since it might have boosted Biden’s popularity. Republicans pulled their support in fear of Donald’s displeasure, and that was that.

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Yep, that’s the one that imposed limits on asylum seekers after 5000 applications per day. 1.8MM asylum admissions per year.

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