One in four Bostonians is foreign born, and immigrants play a vital role in the city’s economy and cultural fabric. Immigrants are overrepresented in service occupations in the city compared to the native population, and they contribute $103 billion annually to Boston’s economy. Still, newcomers face significant challenges: many are underemployed, face housing insecurity, and have little opportunity for upward economic mobility.
Boston is also home to a growing elderly population with care needs, and the city is confronting an unprecedented shortage of qualified care workers: for every six individuals needing home care in the Boston Metropolitan Area, there is only one available care worker. The home care industry is overwhelmingly female and immigrant. Inconsistent hours, low wages and benefits, and limited opportunities for career advancement keep many care workers from achieving economic stability. Together, these trends mean that demand for home care continues to grow while the largely immigrant care workforce doesn’t have the resources to meet it.
