Higher Education Level Of Immigrants Than Ever

2024 Author: Steven Freeman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 08:15

Immigrants' level of education is higher than ever, according to The Economist.

One example he cites is that of José Rommel Umano, a Filipino immigrant who moved to New York last fall on a family reunification visa. Umano came with a master's degree from the University of Tokyo and 20 years of experience as an architect in Japan.

According to a study published by the Institute for Immigration Policy (MPI), almost half of all immigrants who came to the United States from 2011 to 2015 had a college education. US President Donald Trump has said he would like to copy Canada and Australia's system for choosing immigrants who can be legalized. Both countries prioritize immigrants who are college graduates, have work experience, and speak English well.

This study reveals that from 1986 to 1990, 27 percent of immigrants coming to the United States had college degrees, and that number has now grown to nearly 50 percent. The result is that the United States is no longer receiving immigrants with less education than the people of this country, but with a higher educational level. In 26 states, immigrants had a higher educational level than Americans born here, according to MPI.

However, a major challenge is that many employers do not recognize diplomas or work experience from other countries. Umano's case was like this. Although the Filipino immigrant had two college degrees and years of experience as an architect, it took effort to rejoin his profession in the United States. Out of necessity, he had to start working carrying boxes in a warehouse in New Jersey two hours from his home in the Bronx. The immigrant fight seems to have no end.