E.g., 04/24/2024
E.g., 04/24/2024
Postsecondary Education

Postsecondary Education

_PostSecondaryEd

Immigrant students represent a broad spectrum of talents, aspirations, and needs. While many succeed, they often face a number of risk factors associated with lower rates of college retention and degree completion. They are more likely to be “nontraditional” students, meaning that they often enroll at older ages, attend college part time, work while going to school, and juggle family responsibilities along with coursework. They are also more likely to require remediation before enrollment, due to language proficiency and academic preparation gaps that re-emerge at the college level.

Recent Activity

Image of aspiring pastor and DACA recipient speaking at DACA event in Minneapolis
Articles
June 9, 2022
At Its 10th Anniversary, DACA Faces a Tenuous Future Despite Societal Benefits
By Muzaffar Chishti and Julia Gelatt
Instructors teach an African dance class in Miami.
Articles
May 11, 2022
Sub-Saharan African Immigrants in the United States
By Jane Lorenzi and Jeanne Batalova
Cover image for Leveraging the Skills of Immigrant Health-Care Professionals in Illinois and Chicago
Policy Briefs
April 2022
Leveraging the Skills of Immigrant Health-Care Professionals in Illinois and Chicago
By  Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix
A teacher leads a lesson on the Korean alphabet in a U.S. dual-language immersion class
Articles
April 14, 2022
Korean Immigrants in the United States
By Cecilia Esterline and Jeanne Batalova
An image of an immigration boarding line.
Articles
March 17, 2022
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States
By Cecilia Esterline and Jeanne Batalova
A couple celebrating carnival at home.
Articles
February 16, 2022
South American Immigrants in the United States
By Jane Lorenzi and Jeanne Batalova
A man and child at a naturalization ceremony outside Washington, DC.
Articles
February 10, 2022
Black Immigrants in the United States Face Hurdles, but Outcomes Vary by City
By Valerie Lacarte
Mother and daughter from Middle Eastern background
Articles
January 13, 2022
Middle Eastern and North African Immigrants in the United States
By Laura Harjanto and Jeanne Batalova

Pages

coverthumb IntegratingForeignTrainedProfessionals
Reports
February 2017
Unlocking Skills: Successful Initiatives for Integrating Foreign-Trained Immigrant Professionals
By  Margie McHugh and Madeleine Morawski
coverthumb BrainWaste FactSheets 2016
Fact Sheets
December 2016
The Costs of Brain Waste among Highly Skilled Immigrants in Select States
By  Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix
coverthumb wioa
Fact Sheets
April 2016
Immigrants and WIOA Services: Comparison of Sociodemographic Characteristics of Native- and Foreign-Born Adults in the United States
By  Margie McHugh and Madeleine Morawski
coverthumb iom15
Policy Briefs
December 2015
Shortage Amid Surplus: Emigration and Human Capital Development in the Philippines
By  Dovelyn Rannveig Mendoza
coverthumb refugeefacts
Fact Sheets
October 2015
Ten Facts About U.S. Refugee Resettlement
By  Randy Capps and Michael Fix
Download Brief
Policy Briefs
August 2015
DACA at the Three-Year Mark: High Pace of Renewals, But Processing Difficulties Evident
By  Angelo Mathay and Margie McHugh
coverthumb SIRIUS EarlySchoolLeaving
Policy Briefs
February 2015
Reducing the Risk that Youth with a Migrant Background in Europe Will Leave School Early
By  Ward Nouwen, Noel Clycq and Daniela Uličná
coverthumb PIAAC Immigrant Adult Profile
Reports
February 2015
Through an Immigrant Lens: PIAAC Assessment of the Competencies of Adults in the United States
By  Jeanne Batalova and Michael Fix

Pages

A mariachi band performing in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Spotlight
October 13, 2022
Mexican Immigrants in the United States

Mexicans are by far the largest immigrant group in the United States, accounting for nearly one-fourth of all immigrants. However their numbers have been declining and in 2021 there were 1 million fewer than a decade ago. At the same time, despite years in which more new migrants came from China and India, Mexicans once again count as the largest group of new arrivals. This article outlines the changing shape and composition of this immigrant population.

A tourist takes a selfie in New York City.
Spotlight
September 15, 2022
Temporary Visa Holders in the United States

COVID-19 and restrictive policies from the Trump administration led to the most dramatic slowdown of temporary immigration to the United States in years, as fewer tourists, temporary workers, and international students arrived. This article reviews the trends in issuance of nonimmigrant visas and arrivals of temporary visitors, including the numbers issued annually over the past five years and the top countries of origin.

Image of band playing music at a concert in Athens, GA.
Spotlight
August 4, 2022
Brazilian Immigrants in the United States

Persistent economic turmoil and civil and political insecurity have been drivers of emigration from Brazil, including to the United States. Although the number of Brazilian immigrants in the United States has been on the rise since the 1980s, the magnitude of these flows has made the past decade unique. Read a useful profile of Brazilians immigrants, including U.S. destinations, modes of entry, and educational and work characteristics.

Image of marchers at Dominican Day parade in New York City
Spotlight
July 7, 2022
Caribbean Immigrants in the United States

Immigrants from the Caribbean living in the United States come from a diverse set of countries and territories, with Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Haiti, and Trinidad and Tobago the top origins. This article offers a sociodemographic profile of Caribbean immigrants, who represent 10 percent of the U.S. foreign-born population and nearly half of all Black immigrants in the United States.

Image of aspiring pastor and DACA recipient speaking at DACA event in Minneapolis
Policy Beat
June 9, 2022
At Its 10th Anniversary, DACA Faces a Tenuous Future Despite Societal Benefits

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program reached its 10th anniversary in June 2022. This article reviews the evidence on DACA’s impacts for Dreamers and the broader society, looks at the increased reliance on similar limited legal statuses to help segments of the unauthorized immigrant population, and examines the legal challenges the program has and is continuing to face.

Pages

archive >

Recent Activity

Reports
November 2021

El estado de la política migratoria y de integración de Costa Rica

Dentro de América Latina, Costa Rica es uno de los principales destinos para migrantes y refugiados de una amplia gama de países y con características e intencionalidades migratorias diferentes. Este informe examina el marco institucional y la capacidad del sistema migratorio del país, con un enfoque en la integración de inmigrantes en cuatro áreas de políticas: registro y regularización, salud, empleo y educación.
Reports
November 2021

The State of Costa Rican Migration and Immigrant Integration Policy

Within Latin America, Costa Rica is a top destination for migrants and refugees from a range of countries and with different characteristics and migration intentions. This report examines the institutional framework and capacity of the country’s migration system, with a focus on immigrant integration in four policy areas: regularization and registration, health, employment, and education.

Articles
November 5, 2021

Costa Rica Has Welcoming Policies for Migrants, but Nicaraguans Face Subtle Barriers

Tens of thousands of Nicaraguans have fled their country since 2018, amid repression and a renewed government crackdown. In neighboring Costa Rica, many migrants have encountered a robust system for protection and integration, yet they still face stigma and discrimination in their daily lives. This article explores this dynamic along one of Central America's most important migratory routes.

Commentaries
November 2021

Narrowing the Skills Gap: Equipping Immigrant-Origin Workers with Postsecondary Credentials

The number of U.S. adults who could benefit from efforts to boost postsecondary credential attainment is strikingly large. Nearly 96 million working-age adults lack a postsecondary credential, 28 million of them of immigrant origin, MPI estimates. This commentary examines how enabling immigrant-origin adults to attain credentials beyond a high school diploma is vital to both building a skilled workforce and closing equity gaps.

Articles
October 15, 2021

Vietnamese Immigrants in the United States

Vietnamese immigrants are among the largest foreign-born groups from Asia in the United States. The first significant arrivals came at the end of the Vietnam War; more recent immigrants from Vietnam have been more likely to come through family sponsorship programs. This article examines different dimensions of this immigrant population.

Reports
September 2021

Refugee Resettlement and Complementary Pathways: Opportunities for Growth

The number of people who have been forcibly displaced has grown to unprecedented levels. While the global refugee protection regime has come under incredible strain as a result, states have also shown creativity in the design of resettlement programs and complementary pathways. This report takes stock of these programs worldwide, identifies opportunities to scale them up, and assesses barriers that have hindered growth.

Reports
July 2021

Integración socioeconómica de los migrantes y refugiados venezolanos: Los casos de Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú

Más de cinco años después de que números importantes de venezolanos empezaron a salir de su país, se ha vuelto cada vez más claro que muchos de ellos permanecerán en los países a los que migraron, si no permanentemente, por un largo periodo. ¿Cómo se están integrando en países claves de América del Sur? Este informe evalúa la inclusión económica, el acceso a la salud y a la educación, y la cohesión social, así como las condiciones cambiantes a causa de la pandemia.

Reports
July 2021

Socioeconomic Integration of Venezuelan Migrants and Refugees: The Cases of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru

More than five years since Venezuelans began emigrating in large numbers, it is becoming clear that many plan to stay abroad for an extended time, if not permanently. How are they settling into life in key South American destination countries? This report explores their economic inclusion, access to education and health care, social cohesion, and more, and how conditions have changed amid the pandemic.

Pages