Randy Capps Karina Fortuny The Urban Institute he Contributions of Immigrant Workers to the Econom vernor’s Workforce Investment Board Quarterly Meeti Arnold, MD, September 17, 2008 The Integration of Immigrants and Their Families in Maryland
Randy CappsKarina Fortuny
The Urban Institute
“The Contributions of Immigrant Workers to the Economy”Governor’s Workforce Investment Board Quarterly Meeting
Arnold, MD, September 17, 2008
The Integration of Immigrants and Their Families in Maryland
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Today’s Presentation
• Trends in Maryland’s immigrant workforce
• Distribution of workers across Maryland
• Characteristics of immigrant workers
• Industries, occupations, and earnings of immigrant workers
• Conclusions and policy recommendations
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
10%12%
15%
23%
12%
15%
20%
32%
Total population All workers Low-wage workers Lower-skilled workers
2000 2005–06
a b
(U.S. Census, 2000 & American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
Note:
a. Low-wage workers earned less than twice the minimum wage in 1999 or in 2004–05. Self-employed workers are excluded from this tabulation.
b. Lower-skilled workers have less than a high school education.
Foreign-Born Shares of the Total Population, All Workers, Low-Wage Workers, and Lower-Skilled
Workers, Maryland, 2000 and 2005-06
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Growth of Maryland Labor Force, Age 18 to 64, by Nativity and Educational
Attainment, 2000 to 2005-06
19,000
53,000 50,000
-40,000
52,000
89,000
Less than high school High school/some college College degree or more
Foreign-born
Native-born
(U.S. Census, 2000 & American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Labor Force Participation Is Increasing for Both Immigrants and Natives in Almost All Racial, Ethnic, and Socioeconomic Groups
• Immigrants’ participation up: 75% to 80%
• Natives: slight change from 79% to 80%
• Foreign-born Hispanics: large increase from 70% to 81%
• African Americans: also large increase from 73% to 78%
• Native-born high school dropouts: slight increase from 58% to 60%
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Foreign-born Workers Living in Maryland,
by County, 2005-06
Baltimore City20,000
5%
Montgomery170,000
41% Howard27,000
7%
Baltimore43,000
10%
All other55,000
13%
Prince George's101,000
24%
417,000 Foreign-Born Workers
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Growth Rates, Foreign-Born Workers, by County/County Group, Maryland,
2000 to 2005-06
90%
50%45% 42% 41%
21% 21%
25%26%
Frederick,Allegany,Garrett,
Washington,& Carroll
Howard Baltimore PrinceGeorge's
AnneArundel,
Calvert, St.Mary's, &Charles
Harford BaltimoreCity
EasternShore
Montgomery
State average = 33%
30,0001,0004,0001,0008,00030,000
13,0009,000
8,000
(U.S. Census, 2000 & American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
Note:
"Eastern Shore" includes Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worchester counties.
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Regions of Birth of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland, 2005-06
Africa & West Indies99,000
24%
Middle East & South Asia
50,00012%
Latin America135,000
32%
Central America80,000
19%
South America34,000
8%
Southeast Asia18,000
4%Europe, Canada &
Australia52,000
12%
Mexico21,000
5%
East Asia & Pacific62,00015%
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Educational Attainment of Foreign-Born versus Native-Born Workers,
Maryland, 2005-06
17%
43%
7%
57%
36%40%
Less than high school High school/equivalent or somecollege
Four-year college or higher
Foreign-born
Native-born
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Shares of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland with Four-Year College Degrees or More Education, by Region of Birth, 2005-06
43%
8% 9%
65%
76%
42%
32%34%
58%
Overall Europe,Canada, &Australia
Mexico CentralAmerica &Spanish
Caribbean
SouthAmerica
SoutheastAsia
East Asia &Pacific
Middle East& South
Asia
Africa &West Indies
U.S.-born workers = 36%
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Shares of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland with Less than High School
Educations, by Region of Birth, 2005-06
17%
47%
53%
13%17%
5%3%6%4%
Overall Europe,Canada, &Australia
Mexico CentralAmerica &Spanish
Caribbean
SouthAmerica
SoutheastAsia
East Asia &Pacific
Middle East& South
Asia
Africa &West Indies
U.S.-born workers = 7%
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Limited English Proficient Shares of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland,
by Region of Birth, 2005-06
38%
72% 69%
40%
56%
45%
21%15%
19%
Overall Europe,Canada, &Australia
Mexico CentralAmerica &Spanish
Caribbean
SouthAmerica
SoutheastAsia
East Asia &Pacific
Middle East& South
Asia
Africa &West Indies
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Bilingual Shares of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland, by Region of Birth, 2005-06
40%
19%23%
35% 37%44%
68%
42%43%
Overall Europe,Canada, &Australia
Mexico CentralAmerica &Spanish
Caribbean
SouthAmerica
SoutheastAsia
East Asia &Pacific
Middle East& South
Asia
Africa &West Indies
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Share of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland That Are Naturalized Citizens,
by Region of Birth, 2005-06
45%
14%
24%
50%
70%
61%56%
46%50%
Overall Europe,Canada, &Australia
Mexico CentralAmerica &Spanish
Caribbean
SouthAmerica
SoutheastAsia
East Asia &Pacific
Middle East& South
Asia
Africa &West Indies
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Maryland Industries with Highest Immigrant Worker Shares, 2005-06
24%22% 22%
18%
15% 15% 14%12% 12%
24%
Accommo-dation& food
Admini-stration
& support
Construction Otherservices
Heath care& social
assistance
Prof.,scientific,
& technical
Manufacturing Retail Agriculture,forestry,& fishing
Transport& warehousing
Average for all industries = 15%
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Maryland Occupations with Highest Immigrant Worker Shares, 2005-06
32%
25% 25% 24% 23% 22%21%
19%17%
27%
Building& grounds
maintenance
Life,physical,& socialscience
ConstructionAgriculture Personalcare
Foodpreparation& serving
Health caresupport
Health carepractices
Computer& math
Production
Average for all occupations = 15%
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Share of Immigrants Age 25 and Older with College or Professional Degrees Earned Abroad
Employed in Unskilled Occupations, by U.S. Tenure, 2005-06
12% 11%15%
26% 27%
14%
41%43%
20%
Native-born Europe* Asia** Latin America Africa
10 years or less
11 years or more
(Migration Policy Institute Analysis of American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
(Note: "Europe" refers to Europe, Canada, and Oceania.
* The shares of immigrants from Europe regardless of tenure are not statistically different from that of native workers.
** The share of immigrants from Asia, 11 years or more in the U.S., are also not statistically different from that of native workers. )
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Median Personal Earnings of Foreign- versus Native-Born Maryland Workers, by
Educational Attainment, 2004-05
$25,000
$60,000
$21,000
$28,000
$50,000
$33,000
Less than high school High school/equivalent or some college Four-year college or higher
Native-born
Foreign-born
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Median Personal Earnings of English-Proficient versus Limited English Proficient
Immigrant Workers in Maryland, by Educational Attainment, 2004-05
$24,000
$55,000
$20,000$24,000
$40,000
$30,000
Less than high school High school/equivalent or some college Four-year college or higher
English proficient
LEP
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Median Personal Earnings of Recent versus Long-term Immigrant Workers in Maryland,
by Educational Attainment, 2004-05
$24,000
$60,000
$18,000 $20,000
$39,000
$31,000
Less than high school High school/equivalent or some college Four-year college or higher
10 years or more of U.S. tenure
Less than 10 years of U.S. tenure
Source: Urban Institute tabulations of 2005 and 2006 American Community Survey.Note: Workers are people age 18 to 64 who are in the civilian workforce, report positive wage and salary earnings or self-employment earnings if self-employed for the prior 12 months, and have worked at least 25 weeks or 700 hours (i.e., the full-time equivalent for 20 weeks).
(American Community Survey, 2005 & 2006)
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Conclusions• Immigrant workforce is growing, without affecting
natives’ labor force participation
• Immigrant workforce is diverse and better educated than nationally
• But a significant share of immigrant workers are lower-skilled and LEP
• Immigrants are overrepresented in high- and low-skilled occupations
• Immigrant earnings increase with education, English, and tenure
THE URBAN INSTITUTE / Washington, D.C.
Policy Recommendations• Adult education and job training for both
immigrant and native-born workers
• Immigrants with lower educational attainment also need ESL
• Assistance with U.S. credentials for immigrants with degrees abroad
• Assistance with U.S. citizenship
• 114,000 eligible to naturalize
• 61,000 soon to be eligible (Passel, 2007)