Immigration? More Like Power Nation.
As an immigrant, I’ve learned that working hard gets you places. Being determined and having a drive towards your passion will lead you to your goals. Coming from Mexico, I knew I wanted to do more. To learn more. To grow and be able to contribute and leave a mark.
“Why do you want to leave your country?” “Aren’t you going to miss your family?” “What if it doesn’t work out?”
These are all questions that I’ve heard before. And let me tell you, it is hard. It’s hard to leave your home and start a life in a different country. It can be scary and nerve-wracking but to me, it always represented hope. Moving to the US meant getting out of my comfort zone and challenging myself.
I’ve learned that whatever it is that you want, it’s out there. Whether it’s a job, a feeling, a person, a house, a trip, a dream, you name it. You just have to want it enough to go get it.
And that’s what happened to me. I came here in 2019 to work for one of the best hotels in the world, and I thought to myself, “it can only get better from here”.
I’ll be forever grateful to this country for all the opportunities that it represents, but let’s not forget that immigration fuels the economy.
Let me share with you some statistics and different articles I've found that talk about the contributions of immigration to this country.
An article published by The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in 2019, states that immigrants work usually at high rates and make up more than a third of the workforce in some industries.
About 22% or more than one in five workers, employed in the state's art, entertainment, accommodation, and food service industries are immigrants, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. And at some individual businesses, the ratio is much higher.
Immigrants make up 13% of the U.S. population, and account for 31% of hotel workers and 22% of food service workers, according to the census. Immigrant entrepreneurs comprise 43% of owners of small hotels and motels and 37% of small restaurant owners.
When immigrants enter the labor force, they increase the productive capacity of the economy and raise GDP. Their incomes rise, but so do those of natives. It’s a phenomenon dubbed the “immigration surplus,” and while a small share of additional GDP accrues to natives — typically 0.2 to 0.4 percent — it still amounts to $36 to $72 billion per year.
In addition, immigrants grease the wheels of the labor market by flowing into industries and areas where there is a relative need for workers.
Immigrants are more likely to move than natives, and by relieving these bottlenecks to expansion, immigrants increase the speed limit of the economy.
In addition, the rise in high-skilled immigration has been linked to innovation, specifically to higher patenting rates among immigrants. Interestingly, greater innovation among immigrants appears to boost it among natives, too. (Pia Orrenius, 2016).
At the end of the day, immigration is about opening doors. To new people, cultures, ideas, looks, and traditions. It's about being inclusive and learning from one another.
Working in a team where there are different nationalities and perspectives can only lead to a more creative and inclusive work environment. One where different stories collide and become a more powerful voice for any company.
Let’s make our differences become our strengths.
References:
Benefits of Immigration outweigh the cost. Pia Orrenius. 2016. The Catalyst.
