On August 5, 2022, the Department of Labor reported that the economy created 528,000 jobs in the USA during July. This was over twice the number of US jobs economists had forecast for the month. The Labor Department also reported that the unemployment rate fell to only 3.5 percent, after hovering at 3.6 percent during the last four months. The unemployment rate in the United States is now tied for being the lowest in over 50 years (since 1969). July was the 19th month in a row for non-stop US job creation. The leisure and hospitality sector produced a robust 96,000 jobs in America, followed by professional and business services with 89,000 positions filled, healthcare with 70,000 hired, government with 57,000 workers added, while US jobs in construction increased by 32,000, the manufacturing industry hired 30,000 new employees and an additional 22,000 people were working in the US retail sector. The government agency noted that the number of people working in the USA is higher than in February 2020, when the global pandemic started to affect the economy. To read more, click here!

Many people leave their jobs in the US because they lack opportunities for career advancement; however, these 25 companies facilitate the career growth of their employees. If you are thinking about living and working in the USA, then you may want to consider employment with these top companies. According to a recent ranking of employers, the #1 place to work in America for career advancement is Boston Consulting Group, which is a management consulting firm. One employee stated that this company expects its employees to have a growth mindset and invests in giving its employees opportunities for development and learning. The Amazon Consumer technology firm is described by an employee as a place that really cares about its employees, their opportunities to reach personal goals for their careers, and their satisfaction with employment. An employee at RingCentral, a software company, said that workers feel valued and supported by everyone. Some of the other top businesses for US career growth include Insight Global (recruitment and staffing), Medallia (software), ZipRecruiter (employment), Adobe (software), SentinelOne (cybersecurity), Qualtrics (market research), GoDaddy (platform that hosts websites), and Sunrun (environment and renewables). To read about more top places to work in the US, click here!

There are over 11 million US job vacancies, but not enough workers to fill them, which places job seekers in a stronger bargaining position with employers. Not only are US job seekers looking for employment that pays well, but many are also seeking other things, like a better quality of life, good health and inclusion. A recent study ranked the top places to live in America for 2022, focusing on ratings of the 50 states for life, health and inclusion. According to this analysis, Vermont is the best state to live in the US, with its strengths being healthcare, air quality, childcare, and voting rights. The state of Maine came in second place, with its strongest points being childcare, low crime rate and voting rights. Hawaii is the third best state to live in America, particularly in terms of good health, low crime rate, and good air quality. Other US states listed among the top 10 places to live in the USA for 2022 are: #4 North Dakota, #5 Minnesota; #6 Washington; #7 Nebraska; #8 Oregon and New Jersey (tied); and #10 Iowa. To read more, click here!

When you apply for jobs in the USA, it is important to include hard skills and soft skills on your resume that show that you are the perfect match for the position. Examples of hard skills include computer software you know how to use, foreign languages you speak, or specialized equipment you can operate - among many others. According to experts in the career field, 93% of US employers are looking for workers who possess these high-demand soft skills: communication skills, good scheduling abilities, time management skills, project management experience, analytical thinking, being able to work independently, and flexibility. There are 6.1 million postings for jobs in America that list communication skills as an important soft skill that applicants should have. To read more, click here!

In July 2022, CNBC.com released the results of its evaluation of the US states with the best environments for business. Each of the 50 states was assessed based on 88 measures that were grouped into 10 larger categories. The 10 major categories were: workforce; infrastructure; cost of doing business; economy; health, life, and inclusion; innovation and technology; business friendliness; cost of living; access to capital; and education. Each states could receive a maximum score of 2,500 points and a "letter grade" was also given for each of the 10 major categories (A = Excellent, B = Very Good, C = Satisfactory, D = Below Average, and F = Failure). According to the evaluation, the top 10 best states for business in 2022 are: #1 North Carolina, #2 Washington, #3 Virginia, #4 Colorado, #5 Texas, #6 Tennessee, #7 Nebraska, #8 Utah, #9 Minnesota, and #10 Georgia. The top state for business, North Carolina, also came in 1st place for its economy and received the following grades for each category: economy = A+; innovation and technology = A+; cost of living = A; education = B+; workforce = B+; cost of doing business = B; infrastructure = B-; cost of living = C+; business friendliness = C; and health, life and inclusion = C-. The report also noted that North Carolina has a very low unemployment rate of 3.4 percent (May 2022); the maximum corporate tax rate is only 2.5 percent; and the maximum state income tax rate for individuals is just 4.99 percent. To read more and see the ranking of all 50 states, click here!

One of the most prized benefits that US Permanent Residents enjoy is the opportunity to become an American citizen. As a Permanent Resident of the United States (i.e., a Green Card holder), you have most of the same benefits possessed by American citizens. For example, you can live in any of the 50 states, work in the US legally, attend educational programs, buy a home, start a business, travel to and from the USA, etc. There are additional benefits, however, that you can receive once you become an American citizen. For example, an American citizen can receive a US passport, which can make it easier to travel the world. When you become an American citizen, your children also have the opportunity to receive US citizenship. American citizens can vote in elections as well as run for political office (except President of the United States). Many naturalized American citizens have become members of the US Congress and a famous immigrant actor from Austria became the governor of California. Although Green Card holders can legally work in the USA, there are some jobs that only American citizens can apply for, such as certain government jobs. Furthermore, an American citizen cannot be deported. In order to become an American citizen, a Green Card holder must generally be at least 18 years of age and must have lived in the USA at least five years (only three years in some cases). Another requirement is to have basic knowledge about US history and government. An immigrant is not required to know the English language to become a US Permanent Resident, however, an immigrant must demonstrate that he or she can read, write, speak and understand English to become an American citizen. To read more, click here!

The US State Department has released the official results of the DV-2023 Green Card Lottery, revealing how many people were selected as winners in each of the eligible countries. According to the government report, there were 119,262 winners selected from the 9,570,291 applicants who participated in the DV-2023 Lottery which was held earlier in 2022. These "selectees" now have the opportunity to continue the application process for one of the 55,000 US Diversity Immigrant Visas and Permanent Resident Green Cards that are authorized to be issued between October 1, 2022, and September 30, 2023. The DV-2023 winners must next file the Form DS-260 with the US State Department's Kentucky Consular Center (KCC), so the consular interview can be scheduled. Some of the countries with the most DV-2023 winners include Afghanistan (2,724), Albania (2,001), Algeria (5,526), Armenia (3,525), Australia (461), Cameroon (2,392), Cuba (1,358), Democratic Republic of Congo (4,385), Ecuador (466), Egypt (5,529), Fiji (1,718), Georgia (2,071), Germany (512), Ghana (3,398), Iran (5,506), Iraq (1,300), Jordan (937), Kazakhstan (1,908), Kenya (3,417), Kyrgyzstan (2,846), Liberia (1,221), Morocco (4,469), Nepal (3,808), Peru (1,191), Russia (5,505), Saudi Arabia (658), Somalia (1,541), Sri Lanka (2,019), Sudan (4,863), Tajikistan (2,485), Thailand (685), Turkey (3,383), Uganda (1,044), Ukraine (3,808, Uzbekistan (5,511), and Yemen (2,807) - among many others. To read more (see Section D.), click here!

A key motivation for immigration to the United States is the desire of immigrants for their children to be more successful than they were. According to a study by two professors, one from Princeton University and the other from Stanford University, there is a historical trend for the children of immigrants living in the USA to be more successful than their parents. The professors examined data from 1980 to 2022 and also from 1880 to 1940 and found that in both time periods, the children of immigrants achieved greater upward mobility than the children of parents who were born in the United States. They also discovered that the children of immigrants from poor countries outperformed the children of parents born in the US from similar poor backgrounds. The professors explained that the major reason why the children of immigrants living in the USA are generally successful is because immigrant parents are more likely to settle in locations in the United States that have more opportunities for upward mobility (for example, where there are a lot of jobs available), while parents born in the US tend to remain where they are. In other words, geography matters - where a child is raised has an impact on the opportunities he or she will have in life. To read more, click here!

A recent report reveals which industries are currently the most popular with US job seekers. Research conducted in June 2022 by the ResumeBuilder website gathered responses from 1,000 US job seekers in the 18-54 age range to find out where people want to work in America right now. Based on the results of that research, the 10 industries that are the most popular with US job seekers are: #1 Advertising and Marketing; #2 Information Technology and Computers; #3 Healthcare; #4 Business and Finance; #5 Retail; #6 Food and Hospitality; #7 Education; #8 Arts and Entertainment; #9 Office and Administrative Support; and #10 Community and Social Services. The same survey also discovered that 32% of respondents prefer to work in-person at their place of employment; 31% would rather work from home; and 23% want a hybrid arrangement. To read more, click here!

Whether you are visiting or living in California, you will discover many incredible things to see and do in America's most populous state. One of the most beautiful places to travel to in California is the Monterey Peninsula, where you can watch the waves crash against the rocks and see deer on the seaside golf courses as you take a scenic drive through Pebble Beach on 17-Mile Drive (be sure to take some nice photos of the iconic Lone Cypress). From Pebble Beach, it is a short drive to the neighboring town of Carmel, where you can visit art galleries, shop, dine at restaurants and relax in the sun at Carmel Beach. In the City of Monterey, be sure to visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium which is located on Cannery Row and take a stroll along the Fisherman's Wharf where you will find several seafood restaurants and shops. Depending on what part of California you are in, you can enjoy the thrill rides at one or more of the Golden State's many amusement parks, such as Great America in Santa Clara, Disneyland in Anaheim, Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, Universal Studios in Los Angeles, and Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia. A must-see place to visit in California is Yosemite National Park, where El Capitan and Half Dome rise high above the pine-covered Yosemite Valley as towering waterfalls feed the tranquil Merced River. In San Francisco, you will want to go to Pier 39, Chinatown, North Beach, Alcatraz and drive across the Golden Gate Bridge to the town of Sausalito where you will enjoy an amazing view of the "city by the bay." Not far away, you can visit the Napa Valley wine country and see giant redwoods soar high into the sky. When you are in Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the USA, you will want to see the Chinese Theater and Hollywood Walk of Fame, Universal Studios and City Walk, Beverly Hills, the Los Angeles Zoo, and the Santa Monica Pier. Points of interest in San Diego include Sea World, the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park and nearby La Jolla Beach. To read more, click here!