The United States (US) draws a large number of immigrants in search of better economic opportunities. As skilled professionals move from less to more developed countries, this “brain drain” may put the migrants’ home countries at risk by depleting human resources for public health and healthcare. The World Health Organization calls on member nations to report on healthcare worker migration to monitor potential imbalances between countries, but information is limited. A recent study found that international recruitment firms are increasingly engaged in recruiting allied health professionals, but data on the US immigrants who make up allied health occupations is lacking.

This report provides a national snapshot comparing immigrants to the US with native-born citizens who work in healthcare occupations, including their sociodemographic characteristics and the jobs they fill.