Once again, Philadelphia is gateway for immigrants

Philadelphia has always been a gateway for new residents, especially since it is one of the first cities in the U.S. It is quickly becoming a major destination for immigrants again. This article gives the patterns and explains the mix of people and occupations. Very interesting. DP

By Michael Matza, Inquirer Staff Writer

Once a leading gateway for newcomers to the United States, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metropolitan area "is poised to reemerge" as an increasingly important "destination for immigrants," according to a study to be released today by the Brookings Institution.

"The combination of a relatively new and fast-growing immigrant population means a lot of people, institutions and neighborhoods have to adapt pretty quickly," said Audrey Singer, a senior fellow with the Washington-based policy think tank. Brookings' report will be presented this morning at a Free Library reception with Mayor Nutter as featured speaker and a panel of immigration experts.

Among the chief findings:

Nearly 60 percent of foreign-born people in the 11 counties studied - referred to in the report as "Greater Philadelphia" - arrived in the United States after 1990. That makes them "relative newcomers," with the expected pluses (high energy, for instance) and drawbacks (low English-language skills).

Since 2000, nearly 75 percent of the growth in the region's labor force is attributable to the employment of immigrants.

Although a common stereotype portrays immigrants working in low-skill, low-wage jobs, a substantial number are self-employed entrepreneurs, or work in such highly skilled professions as medicine and the pharmaceutical industry.

"Instead of dominating one or two occupational sectors, 7 to 9 percent of immigrants in Greater Philadelphia cluster in each of nine broad areas," the report notes.

Those areas, in ranked order, are production, sales, office and administrative, food preparation, management, computer and mathematical, health care, transportation, and building and grounds maintenance.
Be sure to read the rest of this story! This is only a small part of it.