Immigrants with Disability More Frequently Employed than US Born

Author: Nationwide Children's Hospital - Contact: nationwidechildrens.org
Published: 2010/03/09 - Updated: 2025/02/06
Publication Type: Findings
Topic: United States Employment - Publications List

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main

Synopsis: A new study by researchers focuses on disability and employment among working-age immigrants in the United States.

Why it matters: This article presents findings from a study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital, revealing that immigrants with disabilities are more likely to be employed than their U.S. born counterparts. The research indicates that, in 2007, 40.8% of immigrants with disabilities were employed, compared to 34.9% of U.S. born individuals with disabilities. Common occupations for foreign-born individuals included production and cleaning/maintenance roles, while U.S. born individuals were more frequently employed in sales and office/administrative support positions. The study suggests that limited access to public assistance may drive higher employment rates among immigrants with disabilities, as they may rely more on salary income. This information is valuable for policymakers, employers, and advocates aiming to understand employment dynamics and develop strategies to support the disabled workforce - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Currently, foreign-born people make up approximately 13 percent of the total U.S. population. As the immigrant population grows, understanding its disability status and employment characteristics becomes increasingly important. People, both native and foreign-born, with disabilities make important contributions to our society, and many individuals continue to work despite a wide range of impairments.

Main Item

A new study by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital focuses on disability and employment among working-age immigrants in the United States.

According to the study, released online in advance of print as an early view by the American Journal of Industrial Medicine , there were an estimated 24 million U.S. working-age adults with disabilities in 2007. Of these, 8.5 million (35 percent) were employed. The study revealed that for each type of disability, including sensory, physical, mental and emotional conditions, both foreign-born citizens with disabilities and non-citizens with disabilities were more likely than their U.S.-born counterparts to be employed.

"The employment decisions of immigrants with disabilities may be impacted by eligibility for public assistance," explained Huiyun Xiang, MD, PhD, the study's lead author and principal investigator in the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital. "Whereas U.S.-born people with disabilities have greater access to public assistance and may depend less on salary income. Also, eligibility for foreign-born people is complicated by length of residency, citizenship, refugee status, work history and other factors."

The two most common occupations for foreign-born people with disabilities were in production and cleaning/maintenance, while the two most common occupations for U.S.-born people with disabilities were in sales and office/administrative support. The study also showed that the median income for foreign-born persons with disabilities was $20,000; however, for U.S.-born people with disabilities, $22,000 was the median income.

"People with disabilities often face a variety of barriers to employment, including limited access to public transportation, limited mobility in and around the workplace and societal prejudice or discrimination," said Dr. Xiang, also a faculty member of The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "However, English language proficiency is likely an additional barrier for immigrants with disabilities and may affect the occupational options available to them."

Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP)

The Center for Injury Research and Policy (CIRP) works globally to reduce injury-related pediatric death and disabilities. With innovative research at its core, CIRP works to continually improve the scientific understanding of the epidemiology, biomechanics, prevention, acute treatment and rehabilitation of injuries. CIRP serves as a pioneer by translating cutting edge injury research into education, advocacy and advances in clinical care. To learn more about the Center for Injury Research and Policy, go to www.injurycenter.org. While visiting our website, sign up for the RSS feed in the What's New section of our Media Center to receive e-mail updates of our latest news.

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Citing Information and Page References

Disabled World (DW) is a comprehensive online resource providing information and news related to disabilities, assistive technologies, and accessibility. Founded in 2004 our website covers a wide range of topics, including disability rights, healthcare, education, employment, and independent living, with the goal of supporting the disability community and their families.

Cite This Page (APA): Nationwide Children's Hospital. (2010, March 9 - Last revised: 2025, February 6). Immigrants with Disability More Frequently Employed than US Born. Disabled World (DW). Retrieved February 15, 2025 from www.disabled-world.com/disability/employment/usa/immigrants-disability.php

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