Friday, December 11, 2009
America’s labor force is made up of more immigrants today than anytime since the early 20th century, comprising 16% of all workers. Not since before 1920, when the rate was 21%, have so many foreign-born individuals held jobs in the United States. The current percentage is up dramatically from a low of 5% that was recorded in 1970.
In some areas of the country, immigrants make up a quarter or more of all workers. As of 2007, they constituted 35% in California, 27% in New York, 26% in New Jersey and 25% in Nevada.
The latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau also reveal that contrary to common assumptions, immigrant labor is not entirely unskilled. In fact, 28% of American workers with doctoral degrees and 16% with master’s degrees were born outside the U.S.
Immigrants do, however, fill the ranks of the undereducated as well. Of all low-skilled workers in the country without a high school diploma, 36% were non-native individuals.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
Census Finds Rise in Foreign Workers (by Sam Roberts, New York Times)
Immigrants Hit Milestone in U.S. (by Andrea Stone, Sphere)
The Foreign-Born Labor Force in the United States: 2007 (by Eric Nweburger and Thomas Gryn, U.S. Census Bureau) (PDF)
Immigrants and the Economy (Fiscal Policy Institute) (PDF)
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