Bridging the Gap discusses the crucial role that immigrant direct care workers play in the U.S. healthcare system, particularly in long-term care for older adults and people with disabilities. The report includes detailed overviews of immigrants in this workforce and offers federal-level policy recommendations, including providing work authorizations and pathways to citizenship, to better support these workers and improve the long-term care sector.
Key Takeaways
Immigrants constitute at least 27% of the direct care workforce in the U.S., a sector critical for long-term care of older adults and people with disabilities.
The long-term care sector faces significant challenges, including the need to fill 9.3 million direct care job openings between 2021 and 2031.
We recommend federal-level policy interventions, such as providing work authorizations and pathways to citizenship, to better support immigrant direct care workers and address workforce shortages.
