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H-1B updates add $103,265 premium per hire...

Is this why the $4.6 trillion contingent market is predicted to hit $9 trillion by 2030? The H-1B repricing, the BLS jobs revision, and why EORs are the painkiller.

Matthew MottolaMatthew MottolaSeptember 1, 20268 min read
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Before this week's top stories and analysis, I want to personally invite you to our dinner later this month in Dallas.

I'm really excited for it. Dr Kelly Monahan will be discussing and giving away 20 of her new books. Tony will discuss how AI and today's macro trends are accelerating the shift to talent access and flexible talent networks. And my favorite - no slides, no sales pitches, just 20 executives leading this charge.

We already have some really cool people joining from the largest banking institution, the largest entertainment group, and can't wait to see everyone.

Here's what stories stand out to start the week:

•  The contingent workforce is now a $4.6 trillion industry in the US alone,[1] estimated to be $9 trillion globally by 2030.[2]
•  Permanent job growth was overstated by 79,000, cut from 17,500 jobs a month to only 11,000.[3]
•  Hiring H-1B visa full time employees just got a lot more expensive. The US government increased the price to $103,265 for each new H-1B visa,[4] and started cracking down on companies that break the visa rules the same week.[5]

Here's what we're talking to companies mostly about...

1. Job growth is booming, just not for jobs, for contractors.

We've known this, and the data in contingent growth backs this.[1][3] Now the question is how do companies plan and scale this rather than their business teams doing this one off.

We're biased, but they lean into the 3,000+ flexible workforce solutions that specialize in their vertical. If their procurement or talent leader needs a push, send them to our executive briefings.

Or have them search their need on the Open Cloud to find the right solutions.

2. The H-1B visa situation is a trigger, the EOR is the painkiller.

Obviously $103,265 per hire is a premium you probably can't afford, nor a risk you can ignore.[4][5]

But this isn't a leaders only option. Leaders can now hire these individuals where they are, or can deconstruct these roles into the outcomes or retainer engagements that get the work done.

And what's different today, is that EORs are the solutions enabling this today. It's why we're seeing over 40% growth for EORs on Human Cloud today.

3. Control can come in house.

AI makes it easier than ever for leaders to own and control their talent experience. Whether it's how to access the talent they need, comply the talent at scale, or build vetted talent benches, AI has reduced the complexity required to build the right software and integrate the right applications.

The result, is that rather than outsourcing everything, the best contingent leaders are looking at their talent strategy like the product team looks at their roadmap - as a value adding, business critical function.

John Healy discussed how leading contingent leaders are bringing 100+ solutions into a two click talent experience. Check out his episode, or learn the secrets in last months community call.

Here's how Human Cloud is helping:

Leaders are using Human Cloud to find EORs today.

•  A transformation consultancy serving corporate venture funds ran an RFP for an EOR to support over $1m worth of talent across five US states, Germany, the UK, more of Europe and South America. More than just a provider, they needed proof that their EOR would be a partner.
•  A talent marketplace, ran an RFP to partner with an EOR on multimonth, high dollar value engagements, in a way that they could use to sell to their customers.

And on Thursday, September 10 I am running our EOR workshop: how to pick the right EOR. It's exclusive to the community. Save your seat »

Hopefully see you in Dallas,

- Matt

Matthew Mottola

Matthew Mottola

CEO of Human Cloud. 4x entrepreneur, angel investor, author of The Human Cloud (w/ HarperCollins), with experience advising companies like Microsoft, Deloitte, and G7 governments on how to use flexible talent. Meet with me »

PS: The Dallas dinner is capped at twenty seats and co-hosted with FoxHire and KarmaCheck. If you are already registered for CWS or CollaborationX, request your seat now rather than the week of. Request an invite »

Featured Event

HC Webinar: How To Pick The Right EOR

Thursday, September 10, 2026 · 12:00 PM ET · Virtual · Exclusive to the Human Cloud community

EORs have become the cheat code for scaling flexible talent. This session covers what makes a good EOR, what makes a good partnership, EOR as a feature you can sell, EOR as a growth driver, and the diligence checklist to run before you sign.

Featuring

Matthew Mottola

Matthew Mottola

CEO, Human Cloud · The right EOR partner is a feature you can sell and a driver of revenue

Shoutouts!

Wins from across the community over the last two weeks. Keep them coming.

Kudos

Mellow

Contractor management platform Mellow received kudos from six leaders, including Oleg Smolyansky, Founder, and Ecaterina Gatman, Executive Director.

Papaya Global

Global workforce payments platform Papaya Global received kudos from three leaders, including Natasha R., Human Resources Business Partner, and Nikolett B., Global Payroll and Benefits Manager.

Collect yours with the Kudos Agent »

Industry Insights

Deals & M&A

IT Services · M&A

Porsche Signs ~$1.5 Billion AI Deal With Tata Consultancy Services, Divesting MHP Consulting Unit

A landmark deal that moves consulting workforce and statement-of-work engagements to one global partner. Buyers are consolidating into fewer, bigger, specialized relationships. Be the specialist they keep.

Staffing · M&A

CTI Staffing Acquires Boston's PeopleSERVE, Expanding National Footprint

Fort Lauderdale-based CTI, operating across three continents, calls it the first in a series of planned deals. Consolidation has reached mid-market staffing.

Product Launches & Funding

Workforce Trust · Funding

Yardstik Raises $30M Series B to Tackle Post-Hire Workforce Fraud

149% revenue growth and $65M raised to date. Verification is moving past the point of hire. Buyers will increasingly expect continuous trust signals from every workforce partner.

HR Tech · Earnings

Workday Beats Q2 Estimates as Revenue Grows 12.8% to $2.65 Billion

AI products drove over $100 million of new annual contract value, more than 25% of the total. Enterprises are paying real money for AI in the talent stack.

Market Signals

Labor Market · AI

AI-Linked Layoffs Hit 205,000 Workers in 2026, Already Matching 2025's Total

Concentrated in customer service and back-office roles. The permanent base keeps shrinking while the work keeps growing. That gap is your market.

Labor Market · Hiring

ADP: US Employers Add an Average 11,750 Jobs Weekly as August Hiring Accelerates

Private-sector hiring picked up for a second straight week. Demand is real. It is just not landing as permanent headcount at the old rate.

See all news stories »

Human Cloud Industry News feed

Industry Events

Future of Work USA
Sep 15-16 · New York, NY · Enterprise workforce strategy buyers
SIA CWS Summit
Sep 28-29 · Dallas, TX · The contingent workforce program owners who buy at scale. We are hosting dinner on the 29th.
Gartner ReimagineHR
Sep 28-30 · Orlando, FL · CHROs setting next year's talent budget
CollaborationX
Sep 29 - Oct 1 · Dallas, TX · SIA's rebuilt gig-economy event, now aimed at AI and tech across staffing and workforce solutions
HR Tech
Oct 20-22 · Las Vegas, NV · The biggest HR buyer floor of the year
Staffing World (ASA)
Oct 20-22 · Nashville, TN · Staffing firm owners and operators

See all industry events »

Human Cloud Industry Insights events board
Matthew Mottola

Matthew Mottola

CEO, Human Cloud

Matthew Mottola is the CEO of Human Cloud, the leading sourcing platform for companies to scale their future workforce. A serial entrepreneur, angel investor, and author of The Human Cloud book, published by HarperCollins; Matthew has been at the forefront of workforce tech for 15+ years. With an extended passport, Matthew has lived, led companies, and spoken across 50 international stages, while leading and advising global brands from Microsoft, to Novo Nordisk, to G7 Governments. On any given day you can find Matthew fighting his IDE in Singapore, San Francisco, or his hometown of Newburyport, Massachusetts.

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