As the demand for long-term care workers increases as Americans age, it’s becoming clear that more foreign-born workers are needed. In Arizona, about a quarter of them are already immigrants. Now, a long-term care organization is calling for immigration reform in order to fill vital, caregiving jobs.
Immigrants working as caregivers come to the U.S. from around the world. Many come from Mexico, the Philippines and the Dominican Republic. That’s according to a report from Leading Age, which represents non-profit long-term care services, including communities here in Arizona.
The report looks at how reforms to our nation’s immigration system are needed to bring in more foreign-born, long-term care workers. Ideas include creating a visa specifically for English-speaking individuals to work as certified nursing assistants or dietary aides; as well as creating legal protections for immigrant workers and allowing direct care workers to receive testing and training in their native language.
