New Report: Immigrants Make Up 12% of Wisconsin’s Doctors, Including 9% in Rural Counties, as Communities Face Growing Health Care Access Challenges
As Wisconsin communities face rising health care costs, provider shortages, and growing barriers to care, a new report highlights the essential role immigrants play in keeping Wisconsin’s health care system running—and why protecting this workforce matters for all families across the state.
Caring for Wisconsin: The Role of Immigrants in Keeping the Badger State Healthy examines how immigrants contribute to Wisconsin’s health care workforce. The report finds that immigrants make up 6% of Wisconsin’s health care workforce and 12% of the state’s doctors, including physicians, surgeons, dentists, and pharmacists. In rural counties, immigrants account for 9% of doctors, helping provide care in communities that often face greater challenges attracting and retaining health professionals.
These contributions are especially important as Wisconsin’s health care system faces mounting pressure. Forty-four of the state’s 72 counties are designated as health professional shortage areas, affecting approximately 1.7 million Wisconsin residents. Rural and lower-income communities are particularly vulnerable to gaps in access to care.
“Wisconsin families deserve access to the care they need, no matter where they live or how much money they make,” said Amanda Martinez, Senior Policy Analyst for Kids Forward. “Immigrant health care workers are an important part of making that possible. When we recognize their contributions and invest in a strong, supported workforce, we help build a healthier future for communities across Wisconsin.”
The report also highlights the potential for immigrants to help address Wisconsin’s growing caregiving needs. Immigrants make up 8% of personal care workers in Wisconsin, compared with 27% nationally. With stronger wages and working conditions, Wisconsin could better support its caregiving workforce and expand opportunities to meet the needs of older adults, people with disabilities, and families who rely on personal care services.
“Immigrants work hard to build a better life for themselves and their families,” said Anthony Capote, Senior Data and Policy Analyst at Immigration Research Initiative. “This report shows that they also play an important role in taking care of all our families as doctors, nurses, and personal care workers.”
At the same time, federal immigration and public benefit policies are creating additional uncertainty. Changes to access to health coverage and nutrition assistance, immigration enforcement actions, and concerns about the sharing of personal information can make it harder for families to seek support and maintain stability.
“When immigrant workers and their families face greater barriers and uncertainty, the effects can reach beyond individual households,” said William Parke-Sutherland, Government Affairs Director for Kids Forward. “Wisconsin’s health care system depends on having enough qualified workers to meet patients’ needs.”
Kids Forward and Immigration Research Initiative call on Wisconsin policymakers to recognize the essential contributions of immigrants and take action to strengthen the state’s workforce. While many immigration decisions happen at the federal level, Wisconsin lawmakers can take several concrete steps:
- Expand access to driver licenses and state identification. Repeal Act 126 to allow residents to obtain driver licenses or state IDs regardless of immigration status. This would help workers commute, reach patients, and access services, especially in rural communities with limited public transportation.
- Protect access to health care and nutrition assistance. Help all eligible families enroll in BadgerCare, FoodShare, and other programs through multilingual enrollment assistance, clear information, and trusted community outreach.
- Strengthen pathways into health care careers. Expand affordable training, credential recognition, licensing assistance, and English-language learning.
- Improve wages and working conditions. Advance policies that raise wages, expand access to affordable benefits, and improve working conditions for health care and caregiving workers. Fair compensation helps employers recruit and retain qualified staff.
- Protect privacy and build trust in essential services. Strengthen safeguards for sensitive information held by state agencies and clearly explain how it is collected, used, and shared.
Read the report: Caring for Wisconsin: The Role of Immigrants in Keeping the Badger State Healthy
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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