Randy Capps Karina Fortuny The Urban Institute

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Randy CappsKarina FortunyThe Urban Institute
The Integration of Immigrants and Their Families
in Maryland
The Contributions of Immigrant Workers to the
Economy Governors Workforce Investment Board
Quarterly Meeting Arnold, MD, September 17, 2008
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Todays Presentation

• Trends in Marylands immigrant workforce
• Distribution of workers across Maryland
• Characteristics of immigrant workers
• Industries, occupations, and earnings of
  immigrant workers
• Conclusions and policy recommendations

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Foreign-Born Shares of the Total Population, All
Workers, Low-Wage Workers, and Lower-Skilled
Workers, Maryland, 2000 and 2005-06
Note a. Low-wage workers earned less than twice
the minimum wage in 1999 or in 200405.
Self-employed workers are excluded from this
tabulation. b. Lower-skilled workers have less
than a high school education.
(U.S. Census, 2000 American Community Survey,
2005 2006)
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Growth of Maryland Labor Force, Age 18 to 64, by
Nativity and Educational Attainment, 2000 to
2005-06
(U.S. Census, 2000 American Community Survey,
2005 2006)
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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

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Foreign-born Workers Living in Maryland, by
County, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Growth Rates, Foreign-Born Workers, by
County/County Group, Maryland, 2000 to 2005-06
Note "Eastern Shore" includes Cecil, Kent,
Queen Anne's, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester,
Wicomico, Somerset, and Worchester counties.
(U.S. Census, 2000 American Community Survey,
2005 2006)
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Regions of Birth of Foreign-Born Workers in
Maryland, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Educational Attainment of Foreign-Born versus
Native-Born Workers, Maryland, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Shares of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland with
Four-Year College Degrees or More Education, by
Region of Birth, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Shares of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland with
Less than High School Educations, by Region of
Birth, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Limited English Proficient Shares of Foreign-Born
Workers in Maryland, by Region of Birth, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Bilingual Shares of Foreign-Born Workers in
Maryland, by Region of Birth, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Share of Foreign-Born Workers in Maryland That
Are Naturalized Citizens, by Region of Birth,
2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Maryland Industries with Highest Immigrant Worker
Shares, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Maryland Occupations with Highest Immigrant
Worker Shares, 2005-06
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Share of Immigrants Age 25 and Older with College
or Professional Degrees Earned Abroad Employed in
Unskilled Occupations, by U.S. Tenure, 2005-06
(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. )
(Migration Policy Institute Analysis of American
Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Median Personal Earnings of Foreign- versus
Native-Born Maryland Workers, by Educational
Attainment, 2004-05
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Median Personal Earnings of English-Proficient
versus Limited English Proficient Immigrant
Workers in Maryland, by Educational Attainment,
2004-05
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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Median Personal Earnings of Recent versus
Long-term Immigrant Workers in Maryland, by
Educational Attainment, 2004-05
(American Community Survey, 2005 2006)
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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

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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)