Health care has quietly become the backbone of the U.S. labor market, propping up job growth as hiring stalls or reverses in sectors such as finance, retail, tech and government, The Wall Street Journal writes.
Nearly all of the jobs added in January came from health care or health care-related roles, reflecting surging demand driven by an aging population and the labor-intensive nature of care work. Employers are now competing aggressively for nurses and other clinicians, offering hefty signing bonuses and flexible benefits.
Economists say health care’s geographic spread and relative stability make it a more reliable jobs engine than volatile industries like manufacturing, though reliance on a single sector carries risks if growth slows.
Immigration policy is also complicating the picture, as health care and construction have long depended on foreign-born workers even as restrictions tighten. The result is a labor market increasingly shaped by caregiving, physical work and demographic realities rather than white-collar expansion.
The Wall Street Journal has the full story.
Health care boom
