The United States hosted, by far, the highest number of immigrants in the world in 2020. That year, there were over 50 million people born outside of the States residing in the country. Germany and Saudi Arabia followed behind at around 16 and 13 million, respectively. There are varying reasons for people to emigrate from their country of origin, from poverty and unemployment to war and persecution. American Migration People migrate to the United States for a variety of reasons, from job and educational opportunities to family reunification. Overall, in 2021, most people that became legal residents of the United States did so for family reunification purposes, totaling 385,396 people that year. An additional 193,338 people became legal residents through employment opportunities. In terms of naturalized citizenship, 113,269 people from Mexico became naturalized American citizens in 2021, followed by people from India, the Philippines, Cuba, and China. German Migration Behind the United States, Germany also has a significant migrant population. Migration to Germany increased during the mid-2010's, in light of the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis, and during the 2020’s, in light of conflict in Afghanistan and Ukraine. Moreover, as German society continues to age, there are less workers in the labor market. In a low-migration scenario, Germany will have 37.2 million skilled workers by 2040, compared to 39.1 million by 2040 in a high-migration scenario. In both scenarios, this is still a decrease from 43.5 skilled workers in 2020.

Approximately 41 million people immigrated to the United States of America between the years 1820 and 1957. During this time period, the United States expanded across North America, growing from 23 to 48 states, and the population grew from approximately 10 million people in 1820, to almost 180 million people by 1957. Economically, the U.S. developed from being an agriculturally focused economy in the 1820s, to having the highest GDP of any single country in the 1950s. Much of this expansion was due to the high numbers of agricultural workers who migrated from Europe, as technological advances in agriculture had lowered the labor demand. The majority of these migrants settled in urban centers, and this fueled the growth of the industrial sector.

American industrialization and European rural unemployment fuel migration The first major wave of migration came in the 1850s, and was fueled largely by Irish and German migrants, who were fleeing famine or agricultural depression at the time. The second boom came in the 1870s, as the country recovered from the American Civil War, and the Second Industrial Revolution took off. The final boom of the nineteenth century came in the 1880s, as poor harvests and industrialization in Europe led to mass emigration. Improvements in steam ship technology and lower fares led to increased migration from Eastern and Southern Europe at the turn of the century (particularly from Italy). War and depression reduces migration Migration to the U.S. peaked at the beginning of the 20th century, before it fluctuated greatly at the beginning of the 20th century. This was not only due to the disruptions to life in Europe caused by the world wars, but also the economic disruption of the Great Depression in the 1930s. The only period between 1914 and 1950 where migration was high was during the 1920s. However, the migration rate rose again in the late 1940s, particularly from Latin America and Asia. The historically high levels of migration from Europe has meant that the most common ethnicity in the U.S. has been non-Hispanic White since the early-colonial period, however increased migration from Latin America, Asia and Africa, and higher fertility rates among ethnic minorities, have seen the Whites' share of the total population fall in recent years (although it is still over three times larger than any other group.

United States Immigrants Admitted: All Countries data was reported at 1,127,167.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,183,505.000 Person for 2016. United States Immigrants Admitted: All Countries data is updated yearly, averaging 451,510.000 Person from Sep 1900 (Median) to 2017, with 118 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,827,167.000 Person in 1991 and a record low of 23,068.000 Person in 1933. United States Immigrants Admitted: All Countries data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Homeland Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G087: Immigration.

As of 2023, 27.3 percent of California's population were born in a country other than the United States. New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Nevada rounded out the top five states with the largest population of foreign born residents in that year. For the country as a whole, 14.3 percent of residents were foreign born.

All of the inhabitants in the Holy See, the home of the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, were immigrants in 2020, meaning that they were born outside of the country. Perhaps more interesting are the Gulf States the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait, all with an immigrant population of over 70 percent of their total populations, underlining the high importance of migrant workers to these countries' economies. In terms of numbers, the United States had the highest number of immigrants in 2020. Migration to Gulf Cooperation Council states The United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait, all members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), have a significant amount of migrant labor. The United Arab Emirates and Qatar both rank high in quality-of-life rankings for immigrants. A significant number of migrant workers in the GCC originate from Asia, with the most originating from Bangladesh. As of 2022, nearly 938.7 thousand Bangladeshi citizens expatriated to work in GCC nations. The American melting pot The United States is known for having high levels of diversity and migration. Migration to the United States experienced peaks from the periods of 1990-1999 as well as 1900-1909. Currently, Latin Americans are the largest migrant group in the United States, followed by migrants from Asia. Out of each state, California has some of the highest naturalization rates. In 2021, 171,863 people in California naturalized as U.S. citizens, followed by Florida, New York, Texas, and New Jersey.

this chart shows the top 10 countries where it is most difficult to immigrant from, to the US. Taking into consideration visa refusal rate, passport power, green cards per 100k people, and searches per 100k people to come to a final score.

Immigrants Admitted: Cuba data was reported at 65,028.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 66,516.000 Person for 2016. Immigrants Admitted: Cuba data is updated yearly, averaging 28,549.000 Person from Sep 1986 (Median) to 2017, with 32 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 66,516.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 9,262.000 Person in 2003. Immigrants Admitted: Cuba data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Department of Homeland Security. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.G087: Immigration.

Most people in the fiscal year of 2022 who obtained green cards in the United States came from Mexico, with a total of 138,772 green card recipients. India, China, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba rounded out the top five leading countries of origin for green card recipients in that year.

U.S. net migration for 2024 was 1,286,132, a 2.76% decline from 2023.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>U.S. net migration for 2023 was <strong>1,322,668</strong>, a <strong>0.28% increase</strong> from 2022.</li>
<li>U.S. net migration for 2022 was <strong>1,319,009</strong>, a <strong>95.47% increase</strong> from 2021.</li>
<li>U.S. net migration for 2021 was <strong>674,787</strong>, a <strong>104.62% increase</strong> from 2020.</li>
</ul>Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.

The data presented in this data project were collected in the context of two H2020 research projects: ‘Enhanced migration measures from a multidimensional perspective’(HumMingBird) and ‘Crises as opportunities: Towards a level telling field on migration and a new narrative of successful integration’(OPPORTUNITIES). The current survey was fielded to investigate the dynamic interplay between media representations of different migrant groups and the governmental and societal (re)actions to immigration. With these data, we provide more insight into these societal reactions by investigating attitudes rooted in values and worldviews. Through an online survey, we collected quantitative data on attitudes towards: Immigrants, Refugees, Muslims, Hispanics, Venezuelans News Media Consumption Trust in News Media and Societal Institutions Frequency and Valence of Intergroup Contact Realistic and Symbolic Intergroup Threat Right-wing Authoritarianism Social Dominance Orientation Political Efficacy Personality Characteristics Perceived COVID-threat, and Socio-demographic Characteristics For the adult population aged 25 to 65 in seven European countries: Austria Belgium Germany Hungary Italy Spain Sweden And for ages ranged from 18 to 65 for: United States of America Colombia The survey in the United States and Colombia was identical to the one in the European countries, although a few extra questions regarding COVID-19 and some region-specific migrant groups (e.g. Venezuelans) were added. We collected the data in cooperation with Bilendi, a Belgian polling agency, and selected the methodology for its cost-effectiveness in cross-country research. Respondents received an e-mail asking them to participate in a survey without specifying the subject matter, which was essential to avoid priming. Three weeks of fieldwork in May and June of 2021 resulted in a dataset of 13,645 respondents (a little over 1500 per country). Sample weights are included in the dataset and can be applied to ensure that the sample is representative for gender and age in each country. The cooperation rate ranged between 12% and 31%, in line with similar online data collections.

The United States had the highest net migration levels of the G7 countries between 2000 and 2025. This is unsurprising as it also is the country with the highest population of the seven. Moreover, net migration to the United States decreased from 2016 and onwards, following the beginning of the Trump administration. Germany's net migration peaked in 2015 and 2022 after a high number of refugees immigrated to the country, but has been decreasing since. In terms of net migration per 1,000 inhabitants, the U.S. had the highest ratio in 2025.

This layer shows children by nativity of parents by age group. This is shown by tract, county, and state centroids. This service is updated annually to contain the most currently released American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year data, and contains estimates and margins of error. There are also additional calculated attributes related to this topic, which can be mapped or used within analysis. This layer is symbolized to show the count and percentage of children who are in immigrant families (children who are foreign born or live with at least one parent who is foreign born). To see the full list of attributes available in this service, go to the "Data" tab, and choose "Fields" at the top right. Current Vintage: 2019-2023ACS Table(s): B05009Data downloaded from: Census Bureau's API for American Community Survey Date of API call: December 12, 2024National Figures: data.census.govThe United States Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS):About the SurveyGeography & ACSTechnical DocumentationNews & UpdatesThis ready-to-use layer can be used within ArcGIS Pro, ArcGIS Online, its configurable apps, dashboards, Story Maps, custom apps, and mobile apps. Data can also be exported for offline workflows. For more information about ACS layers, visit the FAQ. Please cite the Census and ACS when using this data.Data Note from the Census:Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. The degree of uncertainty for an estimate arising from sampling variability is represented through the use of a margin of error. The value shown here is the 90 percent margin of error. The margin of error can be interpreted as providing a 90 percent probability that the interval defined by the estimate minus the margin of error and the estimate plus the margin of error (the lower and upper confidence bounds) contains the true value. In addition to sampling variability, the ACS estimates are subject to nonsampling error (for a discussion of nonsampling variability, see Accuracy of the Data). The effect of nonsampling error is not represented in these tables.Data Processing Notes:This layer is updated automatically when the most current vintage of ACS data is released each year, usually in December. The layer always contains the latest available ACS 5-year estimates. It is updated annually within days of the Census Bureau's release schedule. Click here to learn more about ACS data releases.Boundaries come from the US Census TIGER geodatabases, specifically, the National Sub-State Geography Database (named tlgdb_(year)_a_us_substategeo.gdb). Boundaries are updated at the same time as the data updates (annually), and the boundary vintage appropriately matches the data vintage as specified by the Census. These are Census boundaries with water and/or coastlines erased for cartographic and mapping purposes. For census tracts, the water cutouts are derived from a subset of the 2020 Areal Hydrography boundaries offered by TIGER. Water bodies and rivers which are 50 million square meters or larger (mid to large sized water bodies) are erased from the tract level boundaries, as well as additional important features. For state and county boundaries, the water and coastlines are derived from the coastlines of the 2023 500k TIGER Cartographic Boundary Shapefiles. These are erased to more accurately portray the coastlines and Great Lakes. The original AWATER and ALAND fields are still available as attributes within the data table (units are square meters). The States layer contains 52 records - all US states, Washington D.C., and Puerto RicoCensus tracts with no population that occur in areas of water, such as oceans, are removed from this data service (Census Tracts beginning with 99).Percentages and derived counts, and associated margins of error, are calculated values (that can be identified by the "_calc_" stub in the field name), and abide by the specifications defined by the American Community Survey.Field alias names were created based on the Table Shells file available from the American Community Survey Summary File Documentation page.Negative values (e.g., -4444...) have been set to null, with the exception of -5555... which has been set to zero. These negative values exist in the raw API data to indicate the following situations:The margin of error column indicates that either no sample observations or too few sample observations were available to compute a standard error and thus the margin of error. A statistical test is not appropriate.Either no sample observations or too few sample observations were available to compute an estimate, or a ratio of medians cannot be calculated because one or both of the median estimates falls in the lowest interval or upper interval of an open-ended distribution.The median falls in the lowest interval of an open-ended distribution, or in the upper interval of an open-ended distribution. A statistical test is not appropriate.The estimate is controlled. A statistical test for sampling variability is not appropriate.The data for this geographic area cannot be displayed because the number of sample cases is too small.

This table contains 25 series, with data for years 1955 - 2013 (not all combinations necessarily have data for all years). This table contains data described by the following dimensions (Not all combinations are available): Geography (1 items: Canada ...) Last permanent residence (25 items: Total immigrants; France; Great Britain; Total Europe ...).

The share of US residents who were born in Latin America and the Caribbean plateaued recently, after a half century of rapid growth. Our review of the evidence on the US immigration wave from the region suggests that it bears many similarities to the major immigration waves of the 19th and early 20th centuries, that the demographic and economic forces behind Latin American migrant inflows appear to have weakened across most sending countries, and that a continued slowdown of immigration from Latin America post-pandemic has the potential to disrupt labor-intensive sectors in many US regional labor markets.

Opinion on the right of everyone to live and work in any country. - Scale of sympathy towards different countries. - Degree of concern about the marriage of a child to a citizen of: Portugal, another EU country, USA, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Morocco, another North African country or some black African country. - Degree of refusal for children to share the same class at school with children from foreign immigrant families. - Degree of refusal to have as neighbors or co-workers citizens of the aforementioned countries. - Evaluation of the abolition of borders between the countries of the European Union and the free installation in Spain of its workers and professionals. - Opinion on the reception of political refugees. Topics that most concern Spaniards in general and the interviewee in particular: public services, the environment, housing, immigration, drugs, crime, unemployment, the political situation, labour disputes and the maintenance of living standards. - Assessment, in general terms, of immigration. - Opinion on the number of foreigners living in Spain. - Expectations of the increase of foreigners in Spain. - Comparison of Spain with France, Italy and Germany in the number of immigrants. Immediate thought when talking about foreign immigrants. - Opinion on the intention to stay of the majority of immigrants arriving in Spain. - Assessment of the laws that regulate the entry and stay of foreigners in Spain. - Opinion on the extension of the rights of foreign workers living in Spain. - Degree of control by the Spanish authorities of the illegal stay of foreigners in Spain. Opinion on the treatment of illegal immigrants: legalize/return them to their countries. - Knowledge of the process of regularization of Spanish immigrants being carried out by the Spanish authorities. - Opinion on the most appropriate policy for immigrant workers. - Opinion on immigration policies in the European Union. - Degree according to the annual quota, established by the Spanish Government, for the entry of immigrants. - Assessment of the living conditions of immigrants in Spain. - Living conditions of immigrant workers, comparing it with Spaniards. - Opinion on the facilities that could be given to foreign immigrants to: bringing family, housing, education, healthcare, work, association and religion. - Rights that every foreigner working in Spain should have. - Degree of agreement with the following opinions on immigrants: They do jobs that the Spaniards do not want to do, they lower wages, they take jobs away from the Spaniards, they favor crime. Opinion on whether or not immigrants in their integration should preserve their culture. - Treatment of Spaniards to immigrants in general and those of another race in particular. - Relations with immigrants. - Time of residence outside Spain and countries in which you have lived. - Reasons for having lived abroad. - Assessment of the treatment of foreigners in general and Spaniards in particular, outside Spain. - Assessment of violent attacks on foreign immigrants in Spain. - Expectations for Spain of violent actions against foreign immigrants. Attitude to the rise of certain European political parties with racist ideology. - Opinion on the degree of acceptance in Spain of a political party with racist ideology. - Political ideology scale of the interviewee. - Remembrance of the vote in the 1996 general election.

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the majority of documented migration to the United States of American came from European countries. Between 1820 and 1957, of the approximate 41 million migrants to the US, over 34 million of these came from Europe. The most commonly documented countries of origin during this time were Germany (6.6 million), Italy (4.9 million), Ireland (4.6 million), Great Britain (4.5 million), and Russia (3.4 million). The first wave of mass migration came in the 1850s, as the Great famine crippled Ireland's population, and many in rural areas of mainland Europe struggled to adapt to industrialization, and economic opportunities attracted many in the 1870s, following the American Civil War. The 1880s saw another wave, as steam powered ships and lower fares made trans-Atlantic journeys much more affordable. The first wave of mass migration from Eastern and Southern Europe also arrived at this time, as industrialization and agricultural advancements led to high unemployment in these regions.

The majority of migrants to the United States settled in major urban centers, which allowed the expansion of industry, leading to the United States' emergence as one of the leading global economies at the turn of the twentieth century. The largest wave of migration to the United states during this period came in the first fifteen years of the 1900s. The influx of migrants from Northern and Western Europe had now been replaced by an influx from Eastern and Southern Europe (although migration from the British Isles was still quite high during this time). European migration fell to it's lowest levels in eighty years during the First World War, before fluctuating again in the interwar period, due to the Great Depression. As the twentieth century progressed, the continent with the highest levels of migration to the US gradually changed from Europe to Latin America, as economic opportunities in Western Europe improved, and the US' relationship with the Soviet Union and other Eastern, communist states became complicated.

The majority of immigrants moving to Sweden in 2023 were Swedes returning to Sweden. Nearly 10,600 Swedes returned to their home country in 2023. The remaining top five countries of origin were India, Poland, Germany, and Syria. In total, 95,000 people immigrated to Sweden in 2023.

Syrians largest immigrant group

Of Sweden's foreign-born population, Syrians made up the largest group. Following the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in 2011, many people left the country in search of a better life in Europe, some of which landed in Sweden. In 2022, Sweden hosted the world's 7th largest group of Syrian refugees.

Immigration drives population increase in Sweden

Over the past decade, Sweden has seen a positive migration rate, with more people immigrating to the country than people leaving. This is one of the main reasons why the country's population has been increasing steadily over recent years.

Abstract

These data consist of a long-term follow-up of applicants to a migration visa lottery. Tongan households were surveyed as migrants in New Zealand, or non-migrants in Tonga. It was used to examine the long-term impacts of international migration by comparing immigrants who had successful ballot entries in a migration lottery program, and first moved almost a decade ago, with people who had unsuccessful entries into those same ballots. It was additionally used to study how migrating from a poor country to a rich country affects economic beliefs, preference parameters, and household decision-making efficiency. In a ten-year follow-up survey of applicants to a migration lottery program we elicit risk and time preferences and pro-market beliefs for the migrants and the unsuccessful applicants. The successful and the unsuccessful applicants are each linked to closest relative households, who would stay in the home country if the applicant moved, to play lab-in-the-field games that measure intra-family trust and the efficiency of intra-family decision-making.

Geographic coverage

The survey covers Tongans who applied to the 2002-05 Pacific Access Category migration visa program, along with linked households of their family members. This involved surveying in both New Zealand and Tonga (along with a small number of surveys of movers to third countries).

Analysis unit

Data are collected at both the individual and household level

Kind of data

Sample survey data [ssd]

Sampling procedure

Our population of interest consists of entrants to the 2002 to 2005 PAC migration lotteries. There were a total of 4,696 principal applicants of whom 367 were randomly selected as ballot winners (figure 2). Official records provided by the New Zealand immigration authorities in late 2012 show that 307 of these winners (84%) had residency applications approved and had ever migrated to New Zealand. The remaining 60 ballot winners did not migrate and are thus non-compliers to the treatment of migration.

Our main survey involved an extensive face-to-face interview, which also collected anthropometrics, blood pressure, peak lung flow, and included lab-in-the-field games. Of the 307 principal applicants ever migrating to New Zealand, 133 completed the full survey between late 2013 and the end of 2014. In order to bolster our sample size, in early 2015 we fielded a shortened survey that did not include health measurements or the lab-in-field games. This was mainly done as a telephone interview and was designed to reach those who had on-migrated beyond New Zealand or were located in parts of New Zealand that were impractical for face-to-face interviewing, although we also learned, through snowball effects, of more migrants in our face-to-face survey area and gave them the short survey as well. Overall, 61 additional ballot winners who had ever migrated to New Zealand were given the short survey, including 11 who had now on-migrated to Australia (ten) and the UK (one). In total, we were able to survey 194 households with principal applicants who ever migrated to New Zealand after winning the ballot.

We had even less information available for the ballot losers and non-compliers since these individuals had not filled out residency applications. We therefore used the same surveying approach for these groups as we had in our previous survey, which was to sample from the same villages in Tonga from which our migrants originated. Out of 4329 ballot losers, 143 were administered the long form survey and 39 the short survey (of which nine had subsequently moved to New Zealand through alternative pathways, including by winning a later round of the PAC lottery). Finances limited us to this relatively small sample, but, based on our previous research, we judged that it would give us enough power to measure economically significant impacts. An advantage of surveying from the same origin villages is that we can implicitly control for any unobserved characteristics that vary spatially in Tonga. Finally, we have a small sample of nine non-compliers; six who received the long survey and three the short survey. This is out of a population of 60 non-compliers, which hence made it difficult to find many individuals in this group.

Mode of data collection

Face-to-face [f2f]

Research instrument

Four separate questionnaires were administered: - a survey for migrant households in New Zealand - a survey for non-migrant households in Tonga - a survey of linked partner households - a short survey

Immigration Services Market Outlook

The global immigration services market size was valued at approximately USD 45 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 72 billion by 2032, growing at a CAGR of 5.5% from 2024 to 2032. The market growth is primarily driven by increased globalization and the consequent rise in international migration for work, education, and family reunification purposes. With the world becoming increasingly interconnected, there is a growing need for efficient immigration services to facilitate these movements.

One of the significant growth factors is the escalating demand for skilled labor across various industries. Countries with aging populations and labor shortages are particularly keen on attracting skilled workers from abroad, which boosts the demand for immigration services. Additionally, multinational companies are expanding their operations across borders, requiring specialized services to manage employee relocations and ensure compliance with immigration laws. This trend is anticipated to continue, fueling the growth of the immigration services market over the forecast period.

Another key driver is the rising educational migration. Students worldwide are increasingly seeking educational opportunities abroad to gain international exposure and improve their career prospects. This has led to a surge in demand for visa services, documentation, and compliance assistance, particularly in countries known for their high-quality education systems. The increasing number of international students is expected to continuously support the market growth.

The advent of advanced technologies is also significantly transforming the immigration services sector. Digital platforms and tools are enhancing the efficiency and accessibility of immigration processes. Online services, including application submissions, document verification, and status tracking, are becoming more prevalent, reducing the need for physical visits to immigration offices. This shift towards digitalization not only streamlines procedures but also caters to the tech-savvy younger population, thereby further propelling market growth.

Regionally, North America holds a substantial share of the global immigration services market, driven by high immigration rates and well-established immigration frameworks. Europe follows closely, with many countries relying on immigration to address demographic challenges. The Asia Pacific region is also witnessing significant growth, fueled by increasing migration for educational and employment opportunities. Latin America and the Middle East & Africa are emerging markets, with growing awareness and adoption of professional immigration services.

Service Type Analysis

Visa services dominate the immigration services market by service type, given their critical role in enabling cross-border mobility. These services encompass various visa categories, including tourist, student, work, and family visas, each requiring specific documentation and compliance. The complexity of visa application processes and the need for accurate, timely submissions drive the demand for professional visa services. Additionally, frequent changes in visa policies and regulations necessitate expert guidance, further bolstering this segment.

Work permit services are another vital segment, catering to individuals seeking employment opportunities abroad. These services include obtaining necessary permits, ensuring compliance with local labor laws, and facilitating smooth transitions for expatriates. As companies increasingly operate on a global scale, the need for efficient work permit services grows. This segment is particularly crucial in regions with stringent labor regulations, where professional assistance can significantly streamline the process.

Green card services represent a long-term immigration solution, primarily in countries like the United States where permanent residency is highly sought after. This segment involves complex procedures, from eligibility assessment to application and interview preparation. The promise of permanent residency and eventual citizenship drives the demand for these services. The lengthy and intricate nature of green card applications underscores the importance of professional assistance, ensuring adherence to all legal requirements and improving the success rate of applications.

Citizenship services cater to individuals aiming to obtain citizenship in a foreign country. These services involve comprehensive support throughout the naturalization process, inc