Asians are Main Source of Migrants in US

According to a recent study, Asians have surpassed Latin Americans in becoming the largest population of immigrants in the United States.

Asians have been migrating to the United States at a large rate this last decade. In comparison to the Hispanics, the Asians have different factors influencing them to come to the US some surveys in this light have credited this sudden increase in inflow to the increasing economic growth in Asian countries.

Due to such vast economic development, people in Asia are becoming more competent day by day. The poverty level has been decreased in many Asian countries owing to such economic growth and people, now, can afford to come to foreign countries like the United States.

About more than 600,000 immigrants have arrived from countries of India and China in the last decade. Similarly just over 600,000 came for the Philippines and 320,000 from Vietnam. Such large number of emigrations can be credited to high economic growth rates.

Not only have the people of these Asian countries become economically competent, they have also excelled in the levels of education. This is the reason that the majority of people migrating to United States from Asia are highly skilled class. They are better educated, more skilled and highly paid then the previous waves of immigration, often surpassing native-born Americans. An average Asian-American household manages to make $66,000 a year in the year 2010 as compared to the native-born Americans who make about $49,800 per year. For example, the Indian Americans manage the highest level of income, per annum, of $88,000.

In terms of academic qualifications, the Asian-Americans are again one step ahead. Almost 50 percent of Asian-Americans have a college degree as compared to the mere 28 percent of all Americans. In United States an average of 8 percent immigrants (excluding Asian Americans) are able to get employment based green cards. 27 percent of Asian immigrants, due to their skills and education, are able to get the employment based green card.

The Asian contribution to illegal immigrant’s numbers in United States is about 10 percent. This figure is low due the distance of the United States from Asian countries and cost of smuggling. This figure, although currently low, could climb up if the unauthorized immigrants in the United States keep benefiting from the country and cheaper and cost effective ways of smuggling are discovered. The United States has to accept this foresight as reality and should take measures to either increase legal immigration or start immigration programs like guest worker program.

Inflow of immigrants from Asia has been contributing handsomely to United States economy. It is a fact that due to rising income levels and falling traveling expenses more inflow of immigrants is to be expected from Asia in time to come. The United States government should adopt more flexible immigration policies and should try and decrease the hurdles in the way of a convenient immigration process.

The Hispanic community also had its days in the early 1900’s. Although the circumstances then were different, still the scenario was the same as today. In those times the Latin American community was taking the place of European community as the largest settlement in America. Owing to some better opportunities at home or any other reasons, after half a century, the Latin American community has lost its position as the largest settlement in America.

Tags: Immigration, United States, United States of America, USA, USA immigration