Immigration is essential to the restaurant and foodservice industry. Operators were challenged to fill nearly 900,000 open jobs each month in 2025. Looking to the future, the U.S. labor force is projected to grow by less than 4% over the next decade even as restaurants add 1.7 million jobs, meaning recruitment will continue to be a significant challenge.
Restaurants are the country’s second‑largest private employer, supporting 15.7 million employees and generating significant economic impact nationwide. More than 1 in 5 of those people are immigrants. Which is why a modern immigration system is critical to ensuring operators can staff their businesses, meet customer demand, and continue contributing to local economies.
The Association supports comprehensive immigration reform that protects long‑serving employees, fixes the work‑visa system, and builds a modern immigration system for the future.
These solutions strengthen the restaurant workforce and support the long‑term vitality of an industry that serves every community in America.