Issues in Recognition of Foreign Education and Workforce Skills Credentials
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This document discusses issues with recognizing foreign education and workforce skills credentials for immigrants in the United States. It finds that over 1.3 million college-educated immigrants are unemployed or working in unskilled jobs, and identifies several risk factors that can lead to "brain waste" including a lack of English skills, only having foreign degrees, and facing barriers to having credentials recognized. It recommends that states develop profiles of immigrant populations, map requirements and barriers for key professions, and identify programs that can help address recognition challenges in areas with the most need.
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Issues in Recognition of Foreign Education and Workforce Skills Credentials
- 1. Issues in Recognition of Foreign Education and Workforce Skills Credentials Margie McHugh Governor’s Advisory Council on Refugees and Immigrants Boston, MA April 21, 2010
- 2. Integration of Skilled ImmigrantsIntegration of Skilled Immigrants in the U.S.in the U.S. • Leverages foreign-funded educational investments • Maximizes the skill use of immigrants already in the country • Raises worker productivity, increases tax yields, and decreases reliance on public benefits • Helps create a new generation of immigrant leadership
- 3. Major MPI Findings… • More than 1.3 million college-educated immigrants are unemployed or working in unskilled jobs • 22% of all college-educated immigrants – or 1 out of every 5 highly skilled immigrants – are working in unskilled jobs (e.g., construction laborers, babysitters, file clerks, etc.) • Another 22% are in semi-skilled jobs (e.g., carpenters, electricians, massage therapists, etc.) • 44% recent Mexican and Central American skilled immigrants are working in unskilled jobs Brain waste is a reality Brain waste + brain drain = Worst policy outcome
- 4. USUS: Share of Skilled Immigrants in: Share of Skilled Immigrants in Unskilled JobsUnskilled Jobs Percentage of the College Educated in Unskilled Jobs* Notes: *Among foreign-educated, “recent” refers to immigrants who came to the US ten or fewer years ago, while “long-term” refers to immigrants who have been in the US for 11 years or longer. **”Europe” refers to Europe, Canada, and Oceania. Source: 2005-2006 ACS analysis from Batalova & Fix, Uneven Progress: The Employment Trajectories of Skilled Immigrants in the United States (MPI 2008). 19 20 33 23 35 22 18 44 17 US born Recent Long term Europe** Asia Lat. America Africa
- 5. Brain Waste in the United States:Brain Waste in the United States: Risk FactorsRisk Factors • Lacking English skills • Having only foreign degree • Not working in the US prior to permanent settlement • Entering under non-employment visa category • Coming from Latin America or Africa • Experiences periods of unauthorized residence • Lacking US professional and social networks • Facing institutional barriers: -- Nonrecognition of foreign-earned credentials -- Lack of quality English classes teaching work-related language
- 6. State-level Strategies to AddressState-level Strategies to Address Credential Recognition IssuesCredential Recognition Issues • Develop population profile, including immigration status, country of origin and profession • Map requirements and barriers for key regulated and unrelated professions • Map existing program capacity for key interventions and key professions • Develop approach accounting for areas of highest need, challenge and opportunity
- 7. Find data, reports, and other analysis by state and for the nation at www.migrationpolicy.org Margie McHugh 202-266-1921 mmchugh@migrationpolicy.org © Migration Policy Institute, 2010. All rights reserved. For More InformationFor More Information
Editor's Notes
- Integration – fragmented and underfunded policy area Competition: Increasingly other countries are competing for global talent, lessening the historic advantage the US has had in picking top workers M & D: , which have positive impacts for development of migrant-sending countries.
- Combined, 44% of skilled immigrants have the potential, skills, training for more yet they don’t. This is an inefficiency in the system. How is it we are able to hire talent on the H1 visas process and not capitalize on other skilled immigrant talent? If an immigrant comes to the US with a bachelors or masters already, and they decide to gain US credentials via a US degree…that is a loss for employers Talent is out of the pipeline for the time they are in education system If they attend a public university system, which many will, we are further investing in them..when they don’t need to be
- 18% natives; 22% all college-edu immg; and 25% foreign-educ immg African and Latin American college educated -- populations are highest in unemployment -- account for 28% of all college-edu immigrants They are not a majority of those coming to US with skills, yet the fact that their outcomes do not improve as fast over time as for other groups, is a reason for a special attention. NIS: Europeans: 16% empl, 44% family, 26% diversity; Asians: 35% empl, 50% family, 10% legalized/other Lat Am: 6% empl, 61% family, 22% legalized/other, 10% refugee Afr: 10% emp, 42% family, 32% diversity, 10% refugees This slide tells me it benefits to be here longer…why is it with time that skilled workers are finding appropriate level work? Are they going back to school? Starting own business?...it would seem that the longer they are not utilizing skills/training, the harder it would be to find appropriate level work. Other than increased English capabilities and cultural adaptieness…what else happens?
- Entering under nonemployment visa category (family, refugee, or diversity visa)
- Integration – fragmented and underfunded policy area Competition: Increasingly other countries are competing for global talent, lessening the historic advantage the US has had in picking top workers M & D: , which have positive impacts for development of migrant-sending countries.