Based on the latest analysis of U.S. census data, it was found that the influx of educated Asians was on the rise. They have even outnumbered Mexicans immigrating to the U.S. With this current immigration trend, is there a ground for worry, or should Americans welcome the presence of more Asians in their midst?
USA Today reports that the main Asian immigrants come from China and India. This dramatic shift, according to A demographer, William Frey, became very apparent in 2014. If Mexican immigrants used to dominate the number of newcomers in the U.S., it was drastically overturned by Asians during this year.
Various factors resulted in such a huge shift. Mexicans primarily worked in the construction industry, hence, when the housing boom declined, the number of Mexicans vying to get into U.S. soil also dropped. On the other hand, jobs that required scientific and technical skills continued to rise. This is where Indian and Chinese immigrants gained an upper hand, which subtly explains their increasing number in the U.S.
Data from the Institute of International Education showed that in 2014 to 2015, about 60,000 students came from India and China. These students are more likely to find jobs as high skilled workers after they graduate. At the same time, more and more individuals arrive in the U.S. legally, and with college degrees.
In a New York Times article, it mentioned that census data showed that Americans who have Asian heritage get to earn more. When looking at schools, Asian-Americans also excel in terms of academics, and as a group, they have higher educational attainment compared to others.
While this may elicit raised eyebrows, there are some great things about educated Asians being in American soil. For one, these graduates and immigrants would be working in America, hence, it is America that will benefit from their skills and knowledge. On a lighter side, their presence might just prove as a form of encouragement for other American students to work hard and study well.
So whether the presence of educated Asian immigrants in the U.S. will be considered as a boon or bane, is one argument that will have differing opinions. It may take a decade or more of research and census to come up with a concrete data that will evaluate the effect of the increasing number of Asians in America.
