In Silicon Valley, the California region synonymous with innovation in the tech field, 66% of workers in tech were born outside of the U.S., according to research released this month.
When the focus was shifted to female employees in the tech sector, the research showed that 73% were foreign-born. Nearly half of all employed people in Silicon Valley (48%), not just those in tech, were actually born outside of the U.S. More than a third of foreign-born people living in the region arrived in 2010 or later.
Every year, the Joint Venture Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies releases the Silicon Valley Index report on the community, where these findings come from. Generally, Silicon Valley corresponds to the Santa Clara Valley and it includes Santa Clara County and southeastern San Mateo County.
However, Russell Hancock – president and CEO of Joint Venture Silicon Valley – said: “I think we all need to remember that Silicon Valley is not necessarily a California phenomenon or even an American phenomenon,” according to KCBS Radio.
Earlier this year, Audacy reported on conflict between tech mogul Elon Musk, a close ally of President Donald Trump, and some Trump supporters over immigration. He defended Vivek Ramaswamy’s comment that top tech companies prefer foreign-born employees is because “American culture has venerated mediocrity over excellence for way too long.”
From 1990 to 2023, the area’s white population fell from 60% to 30%. At the same time, the Asian population more than doubled to become the largest demographic group in Silicon Valley. While there is a significant Latino population, the Joint Venture report found that most employees at the region’s largest technology companies are still largely white or Asian. However, more people in the region who are in Gen Alpha (12 years old and younger) were born in Latin America than in previous generations.
As of 2023, 37% of the population were Asian alone, 30% were white alone, 20% were Hispanic or Latino (multiple or other races), 5% were Hispanic or Latino (white), 5% were multiple and other races and 2% were Black or African American alone. That year, the region’s foreign-born population also reached a historic high of 41% – a higher share than the state of California (27%) and nation (14%).
For the most part, foreign born residents in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties had become naturalized citizens (52%) by 2023. Additionally, 30% were lawful permanent residents and an estimated 18% were undocumented. Of the undocumented residents, 51% were Latino and 41% were Asian.
With its level of diversity, a 53% majority of Silicon Valley residents spoke a language other than English at home in 2023, including 20% that spoke Chinese and 9% that spoke Vietnamese. In the tech sector, 41% of Silicon Valley’s highly-educated tech workers were from China or India, compared to 30% from the U.S. Overall, 70% of those with a bachelor’s degree or higher in technical occupations were foreign-born, with the largest shares coming from India (23%) and China (18%).
Although Silicon Valley had a larger population share with a bachelor’s degree or higher (56% -- and increase of 10% since 2010) than California overall (38%) or the U.S. (36%), there were some disparities. According to the research, less than 45% of Silicon Valley’s Black or African American residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2023, compared to nearly 64% of white, not Hispanic or Latino residents, and 70% of Asian residents.
“However, from 2010 to 2023, Silicon Valley’s Black or African American residents experienced the greatest gains (+16 percentage points) among racial/ethnic groups in population share with a bachelor’s degree or higher,” said the index report.
Science and engineering degrees conferred at colleges and universities in and around Silicon Valley have also increased by nearly 100% in the past 20 years. Even so, Hancock said that local high schools might not be keeping up with the demand for students prepared to take on these degrees.
“Our high schools have islands of excellence, but in general, they’re not putting out the hardcore science and STEM graduates that could move right into the kinds of jobs that we’re now creating,” he said.
Another area where disparity was evident, based on the report, was housing. It said that neighborhood segregation has increased in Silicon Valley as the area has become more diverse.
“Diversity – the coming together of people with different backgrounds, cultures, genders, races, and ethnicities – is critical to the success of businesses and the region as a whole. These backgrounds shape the perspectives from which tasks are undertaken,” said the report. “Inclusive communities and workplaces enable people of all backgrounds to build, succeed, and grow together. Numerous efforts seek to create and maintain equity within the talent pool (and in educating a future workforce). Tracking this progress allows all to reflect and continue to strive for a better, more inclusive region.”