---
title: "Foreign-Born Workers Top the Native-Born in Employment Growth"
description: "Between 2009 and 2011, foreign-born workers experienced a 5.2% increase in employment, from 21.5 million to 22.6 million. In comparison, native-born workers experienced just a 1.8% increase over this same period."
date: "2012-04-26"
authors:
  - name: "Russell Heimlich"
    job_title: "Former web developer"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/russell-heimlich/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2012/04/26/foreign-born-workers-top-the-native-born-in-employment-growth/"
---

# Foreign-Born Workers Top the Native-Born in Employment Growth

Foreign-born workers are experiencing a faster rate of employment growth than are native-born workers during the economic recovery. Between 2009 and 2011, foreign-born workers experienced a 5.2% increase in employment, from 21.5 million to 22.6 million. In comparison, native-born workers experienced just a 1.8% increase over this same period.

The difference in employment growth between native-born and foreign-born workers is roughly in line with their population growth. From 2009 to 2011, the native-born, working-age population increased 1.4% and the foreign-born population increased 3.8%. [Read More](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/2012/03/21/iii-the-economic-recovery-for-native-born-and-foreign-born-workers/?src=prc-number)