ERIC Number: ED607729
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2020-Jul
Pages: 18
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
Brain Waste among U.S. Immigrants with Health Degrees: A Multi-State Profile. Fact Sheet
Batalova, Jeanne; Fix, Michael; Pierce, Sarah
Migration Policy Institute
The coronavirus pandemic that swept into communities across the United States beginning in Spring 2020 has placed enormous strain on health-care systems and highlighted the work of both U.S.- and foreign-born health professionals. But even as the need for testing, treatment, and care is high, an estimated 263,000 immigrants and refugees with at least a four-year degree in a health field have largely been sidelined, either employed in jobs that require no more than a high school diploma or out of work. This fact sheet offers the first state-level profile of this untapped pool of immigrant health professionals. Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and U.S. Department of Labor, it provides estimates of the number and key characteristics of underutilized immigrants with health degrees, including their English proficiency, the other languages they speak, their top fields of study, and the legal statuses they hold. Among the key findings of this analysis are that these immigrants are widely distributed across the United States, not concentrated in traditional immigrant-gateway states. There is also considerable overlap between the languages other than English that they speak and those spoken by Limited English Proficient populations in the states where they live, making them a potentially valuable resource in providing linguistically and culturally competent care.
Descriptors: Allied Health Personnel, Immigrants, Health Needs, Certification, Academic Degrees, English (Second Language), Language Proficiency, Native Language, Intellectual Disciplines, Limited English Speaking, COVID-19, Pandemics, Underemployment, Employment Qualifications, Employment Level, Citizenship
Migration Policy Institute. 1400 16th Street NW Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-266-1940; Fax: 202-266-1900; e-mail: communications@migrationpolicy.org; Web site: http://www.migrationpolicy.org
Publication Type: Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Open Society Foundations (OSF)
Authoring Institution: Migration Policy Institute (MPI)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A