Integration of Immigrants in Maryland's Growing Economy

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Abstract

This brief summarizes the contribution of immigrants to Maryland's workforce and trends in the workforce between 2000 and 2006. Maryland's immigrant workers are unusually highly educated and work in key skilled industries such as healthcare, information technology and the sciences. However, there are also large numbers of immigrant workers with low educational attainment and English proficiency - they largely work in construction, agriculture, and services. Education, English language, and job training programs if properly tailored to immigrants' and employers' needs could potentially raise the incomes of immigrant workers and increase their tax contributions to the state.

Excerpt

Immigrants are an integral part of Maryland's economy. Immigrants are neighbors, parents, and consumers. And they are even more likely than other Maryland residents to be workers. In 2006, 12 percent of all Marylanders were born outside the United States, but a higher share, 15 percent, of workers were immigrants. Immigrants are about one out of three workers in Montgomery County, one of four workers in Prince George's County, and one of five workers in Howard County, but only 11 percent of workers in Baltimore County and 8 percent in Baltimore City. Immigrants' share of the Maryland labor force is growing rapidly.

Maryland has benefited from an expanding economy and growing opportunities for workers in recent years. Immigrants accounted for half of the state's total population growth and more than half of its workforce growth from 2000 to 2006.

In summary, our research reveals that:

• Maryland's immigrants come from around the world-almost equal shares arrived from Latin American countries as from Asia, and many are from African, Caribbean and European countries;
• Maryland's immigrants have higher levels of education than the national average for immigrants, and fill many vital jobs in the scientific, high-tech, and health sectors;
• Maryland's immigrants who lack high levels of education fill many important service-sector and blue-collar jobs;
• Maryland's labor market is growing for foreign and native-born workers, and across racial groups;
• Providing educational and training opportunities for immigrant as well as native-born workers, particularly those with limited formal education and English proficiency, is likely to reap benefits not only for these workers but also for the state's economy and tax base.

Read the full report in PDF format.

The nonpartisan Urban Institute publishes studies, reports, and books on timely topics worthy of public consideration. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders.

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