Did you know that immigrants make up more than 60 percent of Middlesex County’s STEM workers and nearly half of business owners?
This was one of the main topics at Middlesex County’s 2020 Economic Outlook on Jan. 30 which featured a special presentation regarding the Gateways to Growth Report, a report published by the Chamber in partnership with New American Economy and Einstein’s Alley.
The report highlights the positive economic impact that immigrants in Middlesex County have on the community, such as contributing $2.7 billion to federal taxes and $1.4 billion to state and local taxes in 2018.
The 2020 Economic Outlook once again featured keynote speaker James Hughes, former dean of Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy.
Hughes addressed many aspects of New Jersey that make it a desirable place to live, such as that the median household income is 32 percent higher than the other 48 continental states and that the Garden State is one of the most diverse, with 23 percent of New Jerseyans being foreign-born.
“Diversity is really a part of our DNA; that’s one of the great things about this state,” said Hughes.
The full Gateways to Growth report can be found here.
“The county continues to evolve and grow in a very exciting way, as many new businesses are competing on a global scale in all areas of STEM,” said MCRCC President Lina Llona. “We warmly welcome new opportunities from our immigrant community, which is identifying new ways for Middlesex County to remain at the forefront of commerce on both a domestic and international scale. We are excited about the findings of this report, as we prepare for a vibrant future with many new local partners.”
