Immigrants are bolstering the state’s energy labor force. In 2022, immigrants represented 20.1 percent of all employed workers in the energy industry, and undocumented immigrants represented 4.5 percent of all employed workers in the industry. 

Immigrants will help the state’s energy industry meet future needs. From 2018 to 2023, there were 140,900 unique job postings in the energy industry in Texas. During the same time, 2.4 percent of all job postings in the energy industry prioritized bilingual skills. Immigrants across the skills spectrum are prepared to meet that demand. 

International students are preparing to join the industry. In 2022, 7,100 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees were awarded to international students in Texas, including 2,900 engineering or engineering-related degrees, equipping international students with the necessary skills to support the energy industry. 

Immigrant workers made up significant shares of several crucial occupations in the energy sector. In 2022, despite making up 17.2 percent of the state’s total population, immigrants made up 32.5 percent of workers in petroleum, mining, and geological engineers, including mining and safety engineers, and 25.9 percent of other extraction workers.