With all of the recent focus on U.S. immigration in recent months, statistics show that immigrants make up significant portions of workers in both the healthcare and education fields. From educated professionals to relatively unskilled workers, immigrants fill many roles in these sectors that Americans may be unwilling or unable to fill.
The Pew Research Center found that following the retail sector, educational services was the biggest employer of lawful immigrants (8%). The positions occupied by immigrants include service positions, such as dining hall workers and janitors, as well as more skilled positions, such as professors.
Similarly, in 2015, almost 17%, or 2.1 million, of the 12.4 million people working in the U.S. healthcare field were immigrants. The market for healthcare workers is steadily growing, due in large part to the overall aging of our country. As a result, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the healthcare sector will add 2.3 million jobs by 2024. Immigrants working in the healthcare sector are overrepresented, relative to their share of the total workforce, in highly skilled medical positions (28%), such as nurses and doctors, and in low-skilled healthcare workers (24%), of nursing, psychiatric, and home health aides.
Immigrant workers plentiful in healthcare education fields
Foreign-born healthcare workers come to the U.S. under many different temporary and permanent visa categories. These visa categories include H-1B (specialty occupations), H-2B (nonagricultural workers), H-3 (trainees), TN (Mexican and Canadian professionals under NAFTA), J-1 (exchange visitors), and O-1 (individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement). Of course, immigrant healthcare workers also can enter the U.S. through family or employer connections, or through humanitarian protections.
The Peek Law Group immigration attorneys are here to assist you with coming to and remaining in the U.S., whether you are a worker in the healthcare or education sector or another industry altogether. We are here to represent your interests and provide you with the legal help you need in this type of this situation. Our experienced and skilled immigration lawyers know how to gather documentary evidence in support of your case and guide you through the complex U.S. immigration system. Schedule an appointment to meet with us today and learn how we can help you with your immigration matter.