- Fact Sheet
The Growing Demand for Healthcare Workers in Maine
Published
New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in Maine made up over 6.1 percent of the state’s healthcare workers from 2015 to 2019 despite accounting for only 3.7 percent of the population in 2019. The new report, The Growing Demand for Healthcare Workers in Maine, highlights the contributions that immigrants make in high-demand healthcare occupations that require a professional or occupational license.
Like much of the nation, Maine is impacted by labor shortages, demographic changes, and the growing number of baby boomers reaching retirement age and exiting the workforce. For Maine to remain competitive and ensure that all its residents can access quality and timely care, the state must implement policies that not only attract and retain immigrant talent that is complementary to the U.S.-born workforce but also build career pathways for immigrants who already call the state home.
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Immigrants play a critical role in Maine’s workforce. In 2019, 68.7 percent of immigrants were of working age, compared to 62.4 percent of U.S.-born residents. This means immigrants are more likely to be active in the labor force.
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Immigrants are already helping Maine meet its demand for healthcare workers. Immigrants represented 4.5 percent of registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and licensed practical nurses and 15.9 percent of physicians, surgeons and podiatrists from 2015 to 2019.
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Immigrants are uniquely positioned to provide support across all healthcare settings. From 2018 to 2022, the number of healthcare worker job postings that required bilingual skills in Maine increased by 180.0 percent. Internationally trained healthcare professionals often have multilingual skills and diverse cultural perspectives, enabling them to fill those positions.