Overview of US Immigration and Immigrant Integration

1
National Center on Immigrant Integration Policy

• Overview of US Immigration and Immigrant
  Integration
• May 31, 2008
• Jeanne Batalova
• Migration Policy Institute

2
Key Global Migration Facts

• In 2005, 190 million individuals (nearly 3 of
  the worlds population) lived outside their
  country of birth.
• 28 countries host 75 of all migrants worldwide
  but virtually every country is a player or a
  wannabe.
• In the next 25 years, more people will move due
  to
• Demographics both at origin and destination.
• Labor needs practically across the wage and
  skills continuums.
• Increasing economic interdependence and social
  interactions.
• Long-term habits of emigration and immigration.
• The powerful effects of sophisticated networks.

3
Countries with the Highest Numbers of Immigrants
in 2005
Country Numbers of immigrants (Millions) As percentage of global total ()
United States 37.0 20.0
Russian Federation 12.1 6.4
Germany 10.1 5.3
France 6.5 3.4
Saudi Arabia 6.4 3.3
Canada 6.1 3.2
India 5.7 3.0
United Kingdom 5.4 2.8
Spain 4.8 2.5
Australia 4.1 2.1
Top 10 Total 99.6 53.5
As countries collect statistics on immigrants in
varying ways, it is often difficult to harmonize
them across countries differences in counting
deeply affect rank orders. Both countries are
newcomers (less than 10 years old) in the big
migration stakes. Source United Nations, Trends
in Total Migrant Stock The 2005 Revision, data
in digital form, 2006.
4
Immigrant Density (foreign born per capita) in
2005
Tiers Country Share of Foreign Born in Total Population ()
More than 1 in 2 Qatar 78.3
More than 1 in 2 United Arab Emirates 71.4
More than 1 in 2 Kuwait 62.1
About 1 in 3 Luxembourg 37.4
About 1 in 4 Australia 23.8
About 1 in 4 Switzerland 22.9
About 1 in 5 Canada 18.9
About 1 in 8 Ireland 14.1
About 1 in 8 United States 12.4
About 1 in 8 Sweden 12.4
About 1 in 8 Germany 12.3
About 1 in 10 Spain 11.1
About 1 in 10 France 10.7
About 1 in 10 The Netherlands 10.1
About 1 in 10 Greece 8.8
Differing counting methodologies make true
comparisons difficult. Source United Nations,
Trends in Total Migrant Stock The 2005 Revision,
data in digital form, 2006.
5
Almost Half Metro Areas with 1 Million
Immigrants Are in the US
6
Urban Diversity (2005) Immigrants in LA and
Toronto
Source Analysis by the Migration Policy
Institute.
7
37.5 Million Immigrants in 200612.5 of US
Population
Source US Census Bureaus data Analyses by the
Migration Policy Institute and the Urban
Institute.
8
Shifting Immigrant Origins 1960 and 2006
Source US Census Bureau data Analyses by the
Migration Policy Institute.
9
Asian Immigrants in the US 1960 to 2006
Source US Census Bureau data Analyses by the
Migration Policy Institute.
10
More States Feel the Impact of Immigration Larges
t and Fastest Growing Immigrant States
11
Demographic Impacts
12
Immigrants in US Work Force (2005/2006)

• Immigrants are
• 1 in 5 low-wage workers
• 1 in 2 low-skilled workers
• 1 in 4 doctors
• 2 in 5 medical scientists
• 1 in 3 computer software engineers
• 1 in 5 computer programmers

Source American Community Survey (pooled
2005-2006) MPI and Urban Institutes analyses.
Notes Refers to persons age 18 and above.
Low-wage workers earned less than twice the
federal minimum wage in 2004. Low-skilled workers
are those with less with a high school education.
Refers to persons in the civilian labor force,
ages 25 and older.
13
One in Three Immigrants is Unauthorized
Legal permanent residents (LPRs) 28
Unauthorized migrants 30
Refugees 7
Legal temporary residents 3
Naturalized citizens 31
37.0 Million Foreign Born in 2005
Source Urban Institutes estimations.
14
Almost Half of All Immigrant Workers are LEP
Percent of full-time immigrant workers who are
limited English proficient (LEP)
Source American Community Survey 2005. Refers
to workers ages 25 and older.
15
Skill Underutilization? Share of College Educated
in Unskilled Occupations
Natives vs. foreign-educated immigrants United
States
Note "Recent" refers to immigrants who arrived
in the United States ten or fewer years ago,
while "long term" are immigrants who have been
for 11 years or longer. Europe refers to Europe,
Canada, and Oceania. Source MPI analysis of
2005-2006 ACS.
16
Immigrants Share 15 Occupations With Fastest
Growth
5.5
62.6
4.7
60.9
16.9
17.4
14.3
18.2
14.9
9.8
Occupations requiring at least an Associates
degree. Source MPIs tabulations of ACS 2006
BLS 2006-2016 occupational projections
17
Immigrants Share 15 Occupations with Largest
Growth
Occupations requiring at least an Associates
degree. Source MPIs tabulations of ACS 2006
BLS 2006-2016 occupational projections
18
Year
Rate of Total and LEP Enrollment GrowthFrom
1995 to 2005
United States
LEP Enrollment
Total Enrollment
Source National Clearinghouse for English
Language Acquisition Language
Instruction Educational Programs (NCELA), 2006
19
ELL Enrollment (2004-2005) Top 10 School
Districts
Source National Clearinghouse for English
Language Acquisition Language Instruction
Educational Programs (NCELA), 2006.
20
Major Challenges

• High rates of illegal immigration
• Lack of alignment with regional/local workforce
  needs and labor market trends
• Unmet integration needs
• Education
• Adult English and education
• Access to health care

21
Federal Leadership?
22
Find reports and other analysisby state and for
the nation at
For More Information
www.migrationpolicy.org
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at www.migrationpolicy.org/datahub
Jean
ne Batalova, PhD Policy Analyst and Data
Manager jbatalova_at_migrationpolicy.org