Spotlight for Career Services Professionals
The percentage of respondents with plans to hire international students has leveled off somewhat this year, according to NACE's Job Outlook 2016 survey report.
Less than one-third of respondents report plans to hire these particular graduates, down slightly from 34.2 percent in 2015 and 33.8 percent in 2014. (See Figure 1.) Still, the percentage remains up considerably from 2011 (21.6 percent).
Nearly 70 percent of the industries that responded to Job Outlook 2016 report some interest in hiring international graduates from the Class of 2016. The industries with the highest percentage of respondents indicating plans to hire 2016 international graduates are computer and electronics manufacturers (66.7 percent), information (57.1 percent), and construction and engineering services (both 44.4 percent). (See Figure 2.)
Demand for international students has grown in two of the four geographic regions this year. (See Figure 3.) Respondents in the Southeast and Midwest regions now have a larger percentage of employer respondents with plans to hire international grads.
This may be due to the fact that more than half of responding computer and electronics manufacturers are located within these two regions, and they exhibit the most interest in hiring these students.
The Job Outlook 2016 survey was conducted from August 5, 2015, through September 13, 2015, among NACE employer members. A total of 201 NACE employer members participated in the survey—a 20.1 percent response rate.
NACE members can access the Job Outlook 2016 report through MyNACE.
Figure 1: International student hiring plans, 2011 – 2016
Source: Job Outlook 2016, National Association of Colleges and Employers
Figure 2: International student hiring plans, by industry
| Industry |
% of respondents that plan to
hire international students |
| Computer & Electronics Manufacturing |
66.7% |
| Information |
57.1% |
| Construction |
44.4% |
| Engineering Services |
44.4% |
| Chemical (Pharmaceutical) Mfg. |
43.8% |
| Misc. Prof. Services |
38.5% |
| Retail Trade |
35.7% |
| Motor Vehicle Mfg. |
33.3% |
| Accounting Services |
33.3% |
Source: Job Outlook 2016, National Association of Colleges and Employers
Figure 3: International student hiring plans, by region
Source: Job Outlook 2016, National Association of Colleges and Employers