Like many states, Utah is navigating talent shortages exacerbated by an aging population and declining fertility rates. According to a U.S. Chamber of Commerce report on Understanding Utah’s Labor Market, fewer workers are available today than in 2020. However, the latest statistics provided by the American Immigration Council state that Utah has 299,800 immigrants, predominantly of working age, who could play a crucial role in bridging this workforce gap and sustaining the state’s robust, fast-growing economy — provided they can integrate into the workforce effectively.
In 2023, the New American Task Force — a collaboration between the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity and the Center for Economic Opportunity and Belonging — surveyed to understand the education, skills, and experiences of internationally trained professionals in Utah. Additionally, the survey identified barriers to seeking professional licenses in Utah and returning to work in their sectors. Designed by the World Education Services and partnered with the Department of Commerce, the survey sampled 6,051 new Americans from 49 countries, with current residence in 47 states plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico. Nearly half reside in Utah, with 41% originally from Venezuela, and most respondents speak Spanish as their primary language.
The survey revealed 82% of respondents hold at least a bachelor’s degree, with 99% having a high school diploma or equivalent. Additionally, 70% had professional licenses outside the U.S. and averaged 11 years of professional experience in their home countries. However, the report shows many respondents are underemployed despite their qualifications due to language and licensing barriers. Notably, 30% of them work in jobs like construction, custodial, or food service despite having higher degrees from their home countries.
“I received my MD almost 11 years ago. I worked as a resident doctor in multiple hospitals and clinics for six years before coming to Utah. Now, I have only dedicated myself to working in a restaurant, and I would love to resume my professional career.” shared a respondent.
The report, released in 2024, also highlights that only 2% of respondents applied for licenses in Utah, with 26% successfully obtaining them. However, many faced challenges such as unclear application statuses, awaiting responses, denials, or withdrawals. Miscommunication and lack of transparency from licensing agencies were major obstacles, compounded by unrecognized foreign qualifications, unmet requirements, and difficulties passing licensing exams.
To address these problems, survey participants recommended training programs to navigate the licensing process, opportunities to gain work experience in their industry, and the identification of licensing exams in languages other than English and industry-specific English classes.
One of the respondents said, “We need to be more open to examining the skill sets that immigrants bring with them instead of creating more barriers.”
These measures are crucial for facilitating the licensing process for internationally trained professionals and tapping into the valuable talent pool of New Americans. Since the survey, Utah’s Department of Commerce and other state agencies implemented several new processes to help foreign-trained professionals learn more about the available processes, increased their staff capacity and linguistic abilities, and launched a webpage to assist potential applicants.
The Utah Center for Immigration and Integration collaborates with industry partners to connect internationally trained professionals with high-demand sectors. While more work is needed to fully integrate New Americans, the survey data has been instrumental in guiding the state and its partners to maximize these individuals’ talents and contributions to the fabric of our economy and communities.
To read the publication, visit Survey on Internationally Trained Professionals.