Immigration ‘significant factor’ in US engineering growth

Immigrants make a significant contribution to the US science and engineering sector. From 2003 to 2013 the number of immigrants who were scientists and engineers increased to 5.2 million. That’s an 18% […]

Immigrants make a significant contribution to the US science and engineering sector.

From 2003 to 2013 the number of immigrants who were scientists and engineers increased to 5.2 million.

That’s an 18% increase, according to a report from the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES).

That increase helped the total number of engineers residing in the country rise to 29 million in the same period, it added.

More than 80% of immigrants who were scientists and engineers were employed in 2013, the same percentage as their US born counterparts.

Around 18% of immigrants worked in computer and mathematical sciences while 8% worked in engineering.

Asia is the continent which brings the biggest number of scientists and engineers with 2.96 million, stated the report.

Among those countries India is the top country of birth for them with 950,000.

The report added: “In 2013, 32% of immigrant scientists reported their highest degree was a masters (compared to 29% of US-born counterparts) and 9% reported it was a doctorate (compared to 4% of US-born counterparts). The most common fields of study for immigrant scientist and engineers in 2013 were engineering, computer and mathematical sciences and social and related sciences.”

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