Approximately 1 million immigrant direct care workers currently support older people and people with disabilities in the U.S.—a growing segment of the U.S. direct care workforce. Yet these workers often struggle with poverty-level wages and low incomes, turning to public benefits for support. Moreover, they face heightened scrutiny and the instability incurred by anti-immigrant sentiment and political attacks. This research brief provides a starting point for understanding this sector.
Key Takeaways
One in four direct care workers is an immigrant.
The total number of immigrants in direct care continues to grow—from 520,000 in 2005 to 860,000 in 2015.
When accounting for independent providers, approximately 1 million immigrants work in direct care.
Robert Espinoza oversees PHI's national advocacy and public education division on the direct care workforce, and contributes vision and leadership to the organization's strategies.
