GENEVA — Nearly a quarter of a million highly skilled, white-collar jobs in the United States — many in the information technology sector — are expected to move abroad each year between now and 2015, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development said.
The projected increase in outsourcing of highly skilled jobs is likely to fan political sensitivities and increase calls for protectionist measures.
“Even though there might not be a lot of [press] coverage lately, the issue is still important to tech workers nationwide,” said Lee Conrad, national coordinator at Alliance at IBM, an Endicott, N.Y., local of the Communications Workers of America union.
Mr. Conrad said workers and unions want national, state and local legislators to draft laws that would slow the high-tech job losses. One avenue would prohibit governments or their contractors from sending data-entry and similar jobs out of the country.
More than 100 bills are pending in 38 states to prohibit the use of foreign contractors by state and local governments, but the OECD, a Paris-based group of developed countries, warned that will not address the adjustment challenge posed by international outsourcing.
The agency also warns that a trade-restrictive U.S. response could backfire if trading partners retaliate.
An estimated 60,000 highly skilled, white-collar jobs — many in the information technology sector — are expected to move out of the United States every quarter between now and 2015, said Ken Heydon, deputy director of trade at the OECD.

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