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In 2012, the labor force participation rate of the foreign born was 66.3 percent, compared with 63.2 percent for the native born. The labor force participation rate was 78.5 percent for foreign-born men and 68.6 percent for native-born men. Among women, 54.8 percent of the foreign born were labor force participants, compared with 58.2 percent of the native born.
| Characteristic | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Foreign born | |||||
Total, 16 years and over | 68.1 | 67.9 | 67.9 | 67.0 | 66.3 |
Men | 81.4 | 80.5 | 80.1 | 79.5 | 78.5 |
Women | 54.8 | 55.4 | 55.7 | 54.6 | 54.8 |
Race | |||||
White non-Hispanic or Latino | 60.3 | 59.8 | 60.7 | 60.2 | 60.1 |
Black non-Hispanic or Latino | 73.2 | 72.4 | 74.6 | 71.2 | 70.6 |
Asian non-Hispanic or Latino | 68.2 | 67.7 | 65.8 | 65.6 | 64.7 |
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity | 70.7 | 70.8 | 70.8 | 69.8 | 69.0 |
Educational attainment (Age 25 years and over) | |||||
Less than a high school diploma | 61.1 | 61.4 | 61.6 | 60.0 | 59.9 |
High school graduates, no college | 68.1 | 67.2 | 68.4 | 66.8 | 66.4 |
Some college or associate degree | 73.7 | 73.7 | 73.4 | 72.9 | 71.0 |
Bachelor's degree and higher | 77.0 | 76.9 | 75.5 | 75.7 | 75.3 |
Native born | |||||
Total, 16 years and over | 65.6 | 64.9 | 64.1 | 63.6 | 63.2 |
Men | 71.4 | 70.4 | 69.5 | 68.8 | 68.6 |
Women | 60.3 | 59.8 | 59.1 | 58.7 | 58.2 |
Race | |||||
White non-Hispanic or Latino | 66.2 | 65.7 | 64.8 | 64.3 | 63.7 |
Black non-Hispanic or Latino | 62.5 | 61.2 | 60.7 | 60.1 | 60.0 |
Asian non-Hispanic or Latino | 62.7 | 61.0 | 61.5 | 61.5 | 61.5 |
Hispanic or Latino ethnicity | 66.1 | 65.0 | 64.0 | 63.2 | 63.9 |
Educational attainment (Age 25 years and over) | |||||
Less than a high school diploma | 38.4 | 37.9 | 37.1 | 37.7 | 36.7 |
High school graduates, no college | 61.8 | 61.4 | 60.6 | 59.3 | 58.4 |
Some college or associate degree | 71.7 | 70.9 | 70.2 | 69.0 | 68.5 |
Bachelor's degree and higher | 78.0 | 77.6 | 76.9 | 76.6 | 76.1 |
In 2012, the labor force participation rates for foreign-born blacks, Asians, and Hispanics were higher than for their native-born counterparts, while the rate for foreign-born whites was lower than the rate for native-born whites. Among the foreign born, the labor force participation rate for blacks was 70.6 percent in 2012, little different from the participation rate for Hispanics (69.0 percent). The participation rate for Asians was 64.7 percent, while that for whites was 60.1 percent. Among the native born, the labor force participation rates for Hispanics and whites were 63.9 percent and 63.7 percent, respectively, higher than the rates for Asians (61.5 percent) and blacks (60.0 percent).
In terms of educational attainment in 2012, the labor force participation rate for the foreign born (25 years and over) with less than a high school diploma was 59.9 percent, compared with 36.7 percent for the native born. Among those with a bachelor's degree and higher, the labor force participation rate for the foreign born and the native born was little different—75.3 and 76.1 percent, respectively.
These data are from the Current Population Survey. For more information, see "Foreign-Born Workers: Labor Force Characteristics — 2012," news release USDL‑13‑0991 (HTML) (PDF). The foreign born are persons who reside in the United States but who were born outside the country or one of its outlying areas to parents who were not U.S. citizens. The foreign born include legally admitted immigrants, refugees, temporary residents such as students and temporary workers, and undocumented immigrants.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, The Economics Daily, Labor force participation rates of the foreign born and native born, 2008–2012 at https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2013/ted_20130528.htm (visited October 30, 2024).