Two new studies by coalitions of the American Immigration Council show that immigrants in Ohio play an important role in many of Dayton’s quickly growing industries.
The Ohio Business for Immigration Solutions (OBIS) published a study in 2023 called The Economic Contributions of Immigrants in Ohio's Workforce. This study found that by 2019, immigrants were making up 5.7% of Ohio’s workforce. At the time, immigrants made up 4.7% of Ohio's population.
The New American Economy published a study in 2022 called New Americans in Montgomery County and the City of Dayton. The study was a collaboration with the City of Dayton Human Relations Council. It found that in 2019, immigrants were 4.8% of Montgomery County’s population and 5.8% of its workforce. The immigrant population in Montgomery County increased by 21.6% from 2017 to 2019. This prevented a population decline of 1.3% in the county.
The Dayton area is a popular destination for people immigrating to Ohio because it is a certified welcoming city. The organization Welcome Dayton helps provide connections and resources to immigrants moving to Dayton.
Jeannette Horwitz, the Welcome Dayton Coordinator, says Dayton is dedicated to helping new Americans get settled.
“It’s a great place to live," Horwitz said. "It’s a great place to raise a family and work and there’s so many things available here. And, people generally want to see those who come here be successful and put practices and policies in place to be welcoming.”
Bilingual Job Postings
Immigrants are bringing a variety of valuable skills to jobs in Ohio. One skill that is rapidly growing in demand is being able to speak multiple languages. According to the study by OBIS, the number of job postings for bilingual speakers in Ohio has more than doubled.
Jeannette Horwitz, the Welcome Dayton Coordinator, says that the demand for bilingual speakers is high in the Dayton schools.
“They hire teachers and aides who speak the languages that the newcomers to Dayton speak: Spanish, Turkish, Russian, Swahili, Kinyarwanda.”
According to the OBIS study, immigrants accounted for 23.1 percent of postsecondary teachers in Ohio by 2019. In addition to the education workforce, new Americans are also playing vital roles in Montgomery County’s growing STEM, healthcare, and manufacturing industries.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)
Immigrants make up 12.9% of workers in Ohio’s STEM industries according to OBIS. By 2019 they accounted for:
- 22.7% of physical scientists
- 18.4% of life scientists
- 11.3%of engineers
- 13.5% of computer occupations
According to the New American Economy, in 2019 immigrants accounted for 10.9% of STEM workers in Montgomery County.
Healthcare
Immigrants also play an important role in Ohio’s healthcare industry. The OBIS study found that they made up:
- 24.7% of physicians
- 7.1% of dentists
- 13.6% of home healthcare aids
- 4.4% of registered nurses
- 13.1% of nurse practitioners
According to the New American Economy, in 2019 immigrants accounted for 6.1% of healthcare workers in Montgomery County.
Manufacturing
Immigrants in Ohio filled 5.4% of manufacturing jobs by 2019 according to the OBIS study. According to the New American Economy, Immigrants accounted for 8.3% of manufacturing workers in Montgomery County. They helped to create or preserve about 1,200 manufacturing jobs in the area.
The manufacturing industry in Ohio is expected to continue to grow rapidly in the next decade.
“We definitely hope that will open up more opportunities for immigrants to find more jobs in the area. That’s great for the region,” Horwitz said.
The Studies
The Economic Contributions of Immigrants in Ohio's Workforce (2023)
New Americans in Montgomery County and the City of Dayton (2022)