A recent report by Remitly reveals that India is the leading source of immigrant doctors in the United States and ranks as the second-largest source of registered nurses. When looking at the total number of immigrant healthcare professionals, which includes home health aides and nursing assistants, India ranks third, following the Philippines and Mexico.
Out of the 987,000 doctors in the US, nearly 26.5%, or approximately 262,000, are immigrants. Indian doctors constitute the largest group among these immigrant physicians, with more Indian nationals moving to the US to work as doctors than any other nationality. The states of New Jersey, Florida, and New York are the most popular destinations for these professionals.
The “Immigrant Healthcare Index” by Remitly, which uses data from the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, indicates that 16% of the 3.417 million registered nurses in the US are immigrants. Filipinos lead this category with 141,000 registered nurses, making up 26% of the immigrant nurse population. Indian nurses are next with 32,000 (6%), followed by Nigerians with 24,000 (5%). The top states for immigrant nurses are California, Nevada, and New Jersey.
Immigrants constitute 18% of the total US healthcare workforce, which numbers around 27 million. Indian healthcare workers total 176,000, representing 7% of the immigrant healthcare professional population. Despite being the largest source of immigrant doctors and the second-largest for nurses, India ranks third overall among immigrant healthcare professionals. The Philippines leads with 348,000 workers (13%), and Mexico follows with 271,000 workers (10%).
This data highlights the significant contributions of Indian healthcare professionals to the US, particularly in critical roles such as doctors and registered nurses. India’s prominent role in the US healthcare sector reflects its excellent medical education system and the high global demand for its healthcare expertise.
As the US continues to grapple with healthcare worker shortages, the reliance on immigrant professionals, especially from India, remains essential.
