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RAD Diaspora Profile RAD Diaspora Profile Prepared for the Rockefeller-Aspen Diaspora Program (RAD) The Colombian Diaspora in the United States February 2014 Summary Colombia is the largest source of South American immigration to the United States, ranking as the fourteenth-largest immigrant group and accounting for 1.7 percent of the country’s foreign-born population. About 1 million Colombian immigrants and their children (the first and second generation) reside in the United States. Sixty-five percent of the Colombian immi- grants came to the United States before 2000, and Colombians become U.S. citizens at higher rates than the foreign born overall. Many second-generation members of the Colombian diaspora have a parent who is U.S.-born or from another Latin American country, making this a diverse group. The Colombian diaspora closely resembles the general U.S. population in many respects, with very similar demographic and socioeconomic characteristics including age, educational at- tainment, household income, and employment in professional occupations. DIASPORAAlthough the median household income is the same at about $50,000 per year, Colombian diaspora households are larger than the average U.S. household, with 2.8 members versus 2.5 members, meaning that Colombian household income was spread across more individuals. Also, Colombian immigrants are heavily concentrated within the greater Miami and New York metropolitan areas, where living costs are high. The Colombian diaspora in the United States has yet to establish a formal network of strong organizations. Considering the relatively rarity of Colombian diaspora organizations, it seems likely that Colombians in the United States prefer to engage with their homeland through less formal channels, such as familial networks, or via pan-Latino organizations rather than Colombia-specific groups. Our research identified only two dozen Colombia-only diaspora groups and fewer still that have the resources to maintain a full-time, professional staff. Most of these groups were devoted to medical and educational initiatives in Colombia, bolster- ing U.S.-Colombia trade, or strengthening the Colombian diaspora community in the United States. Colombianitos and Give to Colombia both have annual revenues of over $1 million. Other notable Colombian-American organizations include the Barefoot Foundation, United for Colombia, and Foundation Caring for Colombia. The United States is the second most popular destination for Colombian emigrants (after COLOMBIANVenezuela), but the U.S.-based diaspora is Colombia’s largest source of international migrant remittances, accounting for an estimated $1.3 billion in 2012. Colombia received approxi- mately $4.6 billion in remittances during 2012, which constituted a relatively low proportion of GDP (1.1 percent). Detailed Demographic and Socioeconomic Characteristics1 Analysis of data from 2009-2013 censuses shows a Colombian diaspora in the United States of 1 million individuals, counting immigrants born in Colombia and U.S.-born individuals with at least one parent born in Colombia. First Generation (Colombian immigrants in the United States) Approximately 680,000 immigrants from Colombia resided in the United States, making Colombians the country’s largest South American immigrant group and the fourteenth- largest immigrant group overall. Colombians account for a small share of U.S. immigrants, and this share has risen very slowly in recent decades, from 1 percent in 1980 to 1.7 percent in 2012.2 Sixty-five percent of immigrants from Colombia immigrated to the United States before 2000, nearly equivalent to the proportion of the U.S. immigrant population overall (64 percent). Colombians were more likely to be U.S. citizens than the overall foreign-born population (54 versus 44 percent). Eighty-one percent of first-generation Colombian immigrants were working age (18 to 64 years old), though a sizable share was age 65 and older (14 percent). The median age of first-generation Colombian immigrants in the United States was 45 years old. Second Generation (U.S.-born with at least one Colombian immigrant parent) The second-generation Colombian population consisted of approximately 390,000 U.S.- born individuals with at least one Colombian-born parent. Nearly 60 percent of second-generation Colombians had either a U.S.-born parent (28 percent) or a non-Colombian immigrant parent (29 percent) who was, in most cases, from another Latin American country. The remaining share of the population had two Colombian-born parents (43 percent). The median age among second-generation Colombian immigrants was 15 years. Forty- one percent were working-age individuals (18 to 64 years old), but the majority—59 percent—was under age 18. 1 All Census Bureau data were accessed from Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) (Steven Ruggles, J. Trent Alexander, Katie Genadek, Ronald Goeken, Matthew B. Schroeder, and Matthew Sobek. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series: Version 5.0 [Machine-readable database]. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota, 2010), http://usa.ipums.org/usa/. 2 These estimates are based on MPI analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2010-2012 American Community Surveys and the 1980 and 2000 Censuses. 2 RAD Diaspora Profile: The Colombian Diaspora in the United States RAD Diaspora Profile Educational Attainment The Colombian population in the United States had educational attainment levels similar to the general U.S. population. Twenty-four percent of those over age 25 had a bachelor’s degree as their highest educational credential, versus 20 percent of the U.S. population. Eleven percent of both populations held a master’s degree, PhD, or an advanced professional degree. Nearly equal shares of the Colombian diaspora population and the U.S. general popula- tion held high school diplomas as their terminal degrees, 52 and 53 percent respec- tively. Household Income Colombian diaspora households reported the same median annual income as the gen- eral U.S. population: $50,000. The average size of Colombian households tended to be somewhat larger—2.8 residents versus 2.5. The same shares of U.S. and Colombian diaspora households were high-income. A quarter had incomes greater than $90,000, and a tenth reported annual income ex- ceeding $140,000. Employment The Colombian diaspora population is more likely to be in the labor force than the general U.S. population. Sixty-nine percent of Colombian first- and second-generation diaspora members were in the labor force versus 64 percent of Americans overall. The employment rate was nearly the same between the Colombian diaspora and the general U.S. population (92 versus 91 percent). Colombian diaspora members and the general U.S. population were equally likely to be employed in professional or managerial occupations: 20 percent. Migration Policy Institute 3 The Geographic Distribution of Colombian Immigrants in the United States3 The state of Florida had the largest number of Columbian immigrants, estimated at 230,000. The New York and Miami metropolitan areas had the largest Colombian immigrant populations, about 160,000 each. Colombians were most concentrated in Miami where they were 2.8 percent of the total metropolitan area population. Remittance Volume4 Colombia’s remittance receipts were valued at $4.6 billion in 2012 versus GDP total- ing $370 billion. Since 1970, remittances have fluctuated as a share of Colombia’s GDP. Remittances reached 3.2 percent of the total GDP in 2003, but generally comprised between 0.5 and 2 percent of GDP. They had fallen to 1.1 percent of GDP in 2012. The United States was the top remittance-sending country, accounting for an esti- mated $1.3 billion, more than a quarter of total remittance inflows to Colombia in 2012. The United States hosted the second largest Colombian migrant population, after Venezuela. 3 These estimates are based on MPI analysis of the 2008-2012 ACS. Note that geographic distribution is only analyzed for the immigrant population. Second-generation Colombian diaspora members are not included in this section. (October 2013 update) and the 2012 Bilateral Remittance Matrix (both available here: http://go.worldbank. 4 org/092X1CHHD0 Remittance data are). takenGDP estimates from World are Bank from Prospects World Bank Group World tables Development for annual Indicators remittance data. inflows Population and outflows estimates are from the United Nations Population Division mid-2013 matrix of total migrant stock by origin and destination. 4 RAD Diaspora Profile: The Colombian Diaspora in the United States RAD Diaspora Profile Tables, Maps, and Graphs Characteristics of the Colombian Diaspora in the United States Colombian Diaspora Total U.S. in the U.S.* Population Household Income Median household income $50,000 $50,000 Average household size 2.8 2.5 Share of households with high incomes ($90,000+) 25% 25% Share of households with very high incomes ($140,000+) 10% 10% Employment Total population age 16 and older 763,000 239,386,000 Share in the labor force 70% 64% ... that was employed 92% 91% ... that was in a professional occupation 20% 20% Educational Attainment ** Total population age 25 and older 617,000 201,925,000 ... with less than high school education 12% 13% ... with high school or some college education 52% 57% ... with a bachelor's degree 24% 20% ... with an advanced degree 11% 11% Population Characteristics by Generation First and Second Generation Immigrant Population 994,000 73,140,000 First generation immigrant population*** 601,000 38,468,000 ... that was working age (18-64) 81% 81% ... that entered the U.S. before 2000 65% 64% ... naturalized as U.S. citizens 54% 44% Second generation population**** 393,000 34,672,000 ... that was under age 18 59% 46% ... that was working age (18-64) 41% 43% ... with only one parent from Colombia 57% * * defined as all first and second generation ** highest level reported *** all individuals who report Colombia as their place of birth, excluding U.S. births abroad **** all individuals who report having at least one parent born in Colombia Source: All Census Bureau data were accessed from Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) (Steven Ruggles, J.
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