A major obstacle facing oil and gas companies is locating, recruiting, and retaining global talent in light of the heightened attention and scrutiny on United States immigration practices. International companies must enhance their recruitment strategies and begin working on the sponsorship process for foreign nationals as far in advance as possible to set realistic timeframes for onboarding. Organizations must take into account the current trend of heighted enforcement activities, complex immigration regulations, cumbersome immigration practices, and the potential for administrative delays in visa issuance.
Today, even with major companies engaging in a lower level of recruitment than in years past, energy companies may find it difficult to hire a sufficient number of workers to fill a wide variety of positions ranging from highly skilled labor to high level managers and executives. Because of these issues, a need exists for employers to engage in strategic planning and creative hiring in order to ensure their labor needs are met. Addressing critical labor shortages within the oil and gas industry is vital to shape an effective recruitment and retention strategy for your organization.
