Massachusetts needs at least another 60,000 new immigrants by 2030 to prevent the economy from shrinking, a new report says.
Why it matters: Massachusetts already risks losing its lead in life sciences, health care and other industries amid rising costs, an immigration crackdown and competition from other U.S. tech hubs and China.
State of play: The report, authored by Boston Indicators and the MassINC Policy Center, warns that U.S. immigration levels could dip 90% by mid-2026 compared with their peak in 2024.
- Massachusetts’ net international migration fell by more than half in the first six months of President Trump’s second term, per the report.
- If the trend continues, the health care, higher education and construction industries will lose workers crucial to their work, with ripple effects across the state’s economy, researchers predict.
Threat level: The report suggests that losing new immigrants would dampen state spending.
- Immigrant heads of households generated $50.5 billion in spending power in 2024 and billions more in state, local and federal taxes, per the report.
What they’re saying: “This report illustrates in stark terms how policies to shut down or restrict immigration pathways will have significant negative impact for our overall population and labor force,” said Lee Pelton, the Boston Foundation’s president and CEO…