Immigrants play increasing role in U.S. science and engineering workforce

"From 2003 to 2013, the number of scientists and engineers residing in the United States rose from 21.6 million to 29 million. This 10-year increase included significant growth in the number of immigrant scientists and engineers, from 3.4 million to 5.2 million.

Immigrants went from making up 16 percent of the science and engineering workforce to 18 percent, according to a report from the National Science Foundation's National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES). In 2013, the latest year for which numbers are available, 63 percent of U.S. immigrant scientists and engineers were naturalized citizens, while 22 percent were permanent residents and 15 percent were temporary visa holders.

Of the immigrant scientists and engineers in the United States in 2013:

• 57 percent were born in Asia.
• 20 percent were born in North America (excluding the United States), Central America, the Caribbean, or South America.
• 16 percent were born in Europe.
• 6 percent were born in Africa.
• And less than 1 percent were born in Oceania...."

Immigrants