Philadelphia Immigrant Workforce Grows 150% Since 1990

While much of the national conversation focuses on immigration enforcement, a new report from Greater Philadelphia shows immigrants quietly fueling the region's economic engine.

The Welcoming Center, a Philadelphia nonprofit, released "Building Collective Prosperity" on Tuesday. The data tells a striking story about who's keeping the region's economy humming.

Immigrants now make up a larger percentage of the labor force than their share of the population across Philadelphia and its four collar counties. Since 1990, Pennsylvania's immigrant workforce has grown by 150% while the native-born workforce has stayed flat.

The timing couldn't be more crucial. One in five Pennsylvania residents is now over 65, creating what researchers call an aging crisis for the workforce.

"These people are going to withdraw from the labor force," said Saloni Tandon, director of research and analytics at the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia. "They're going to stop producing the kind of goods and services they were producing."

That's where immigrants step in. The report shows they're substantially younger than the general population and more likely to be actively working.

Anuj Gupta, president and CEO of The Welcoming Center, presented the findings at an event co-hosted with WHYY. He framed the research as answering a fundamental question: What happens when people from another land come here seeking opportunity?

"If we continue down a path where we are pulling people out of our communities, out of our economy, what does that mean for us?" Gupta asked. "I think this data gives you an answer."

The Ripple Effect

The economic impact extends beyond individual paychecks. Zeke Hernandez, a professor at University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business, compared immigrants to seeds that grow into fruit-bearing plants.

We enjoy the harvest, he explained, but often forget the seed that made it possible. Those seeds are now sprouting across industries throughout Greater Philadelphia, from healthcare to construction to small business ownership.

The research comes as federal immigration enforcement intensifies nationwide. But the numbers paint a picture of integration and contribution rather than burden.

As Pennsylvania's population ages, the data suggests immigrant workers aren't just helpful but essential to maintaining the region's economic vitality and supporting services that older residents will increasingly need.