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Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status By Region And Selected Country Of Last Residence: Fiscal Years 2014 To 2016

The 2016 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provide data on foreign nationals who are granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., immigrants who receive a “green card”), admitted as temporary nonimmigrants, granted asylum or refugee status, or are naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration enforcement actions, including apprehensions and arrests, removals, and returns.

Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status By Region And Selected Country Of Last Residence: Fiscal Years 2014 To 2016
Region and Country of Last Residence1 2014 2015 2016
     Total 1,016,518 1,051,031 1,183,505
   Europe 87,790 90,789 98,043
Austria-Hungary2,3 2,058 2,965 2,620
Austria2,3 1,088 1,928 1,621
Hungary2,3 970 1,037 999
Belgium 775 809 821
Bulgaria4 2,886 2,585 2,560
Czechoslovakia5 1,168 1,236 1,299
Denmark 533 634 562
Finland6 368 397 512
France 4,544 5,034 5,473
Germany3 6,387 5,965 5,895
Greece 1,388 1,330 1,664
Ireland7 1,721 1,798 1,895
Italy 3,647 3,829 4,385
Netherlands 1,373 1,505 1,550
Norway-Sweden8 1,479 1,551 1,729
Norway8 332 357 404
Sweden8 1,147 1,194 1,325
Poland3 5,437 4,921 5,287
Portugal9 920 869 1,017
Romania 3,022 3,160 3,322
Russia3,6,10 9,455 9,030 9,280
Spain 3,341 3,707 4,018
Switzerland 888 1,007 1,090
United Kingdom11 14,395 14,653 14,887
Yugoslavia12 4,321 4,721 5,392
   Other Europe 17,684 19,083 22,785
   Asia 419,382 405,854 442,854
China 72,492 70,977 77,658
Hong Kong 2,515 2,426 2,982
India 74,451 61,380 61,691
Iran 8,894 9,074 9,596
Israel 4,251 4,324 4,652
Japan 5,980 5,808 5,709
Jordan 9,028 7,835 7,345
Korea13 20,313 16,976 21,329
Philippines 48,633 54,307 50,609
Syria14 4,677 5,459 3,800
Taiwan 4,712 4,814 5,062
Turkey14 7,248 8,762 8,635
Vietnam 29,825 30,332 40,412
   Other Asia 126,363 123,380 143,374
   America 400,102 439,228 502,639
Canada and Newfoundland15,16,17 17,670 19,309 19,349
Mexico16,17 133,107 157,227 172,726
Caribbean 133,550 146,086 180,479
Cuba 46,505 54,178 66,120
Dominican Republic 44,550 50,382 60,613
Haiti 15,107 16,787 23,185
Jamaica18 18,804 17,362 22,833
Other Caribbean18 8,584 7,377 7,728
   Central America 43,638 46,556 54,512
Belize 823 804 878
Costa Rica 2,018 2,121 2,295
El Salvador 18,964 18,699 21,268
Guatemala 9,871 11,466 12,548
Honduras 8,025 9,071 12,996
Nicaragua 2,773 3,262 3,397
Panama19 1,164 1,133 1,130
   Other Central America - - -
   South America 72,135 70,049 75,571
Argentina 3,757 3,542 3,783
Bolivia 1,663 1,549 1,481
Brazil 10,246 11,247 13,528
Chile 1,591 1,620 1,711
Colombia 17,614 16,509 16,830
Ecuador 10,871 9,816 10,779
Guyana 6,031 5,313 4,909
Paraguay 363 353 400
Peru 10,450 9,973 10,519
Suriname 160 116 130
Uruguay 1,098 1,023 911
Venezuela 8,289 8,985 10,590
   Other South America 2 3 -
   Other America 2 1 2
   Africa 94,834 98,677 110,754
Egypt 12,043 13,907 13,367
Ethiopia 12,926 12,566 13,699
Liberia 3,681 3,580 3,545
Morocco 3,495 3,569 4,447
South Africa 2,871 3,298 3,441
   Other Africa 59,818 61,757 72,255
   Oceania 5,980 6,227 6,489
Australia20 3,582 3,795 4,173
New Zealand20 941 978 939
Other Oceania 1,457 1,454 1,377
Not Specified21 8,430 10,256 22,726

- Represents zero or not available.

1 Prior to 1906 refers to country of origin; from 1906 onward refers to country of last residence. Because of changes in country boundaries, data for a particular country may not necessarily refer to the same geographic area over time.

2 Austria and Hungary not reported separately for all years during 1860 to 1869, 1890 to 1899, and 1900 to 1909.

3 Poland included in Austria, Germany, Hungary, and Russia from 1899 to 1919.

4 Bulgaria included Serbia and Montenegro from 1899 to 1919.

5 Includes Czechia, Czechoslovakia (former), and Slovakia.

6 Finland included in Russia from 1899 to 1919.

7 Northern Ireland included in Ireland prior to 1925.

8 Norway and Sweden not reported separately until 1861.

9 Cape Verde included in Portugal from 1892 to 1952.

10 Refers to the Russian Empire from 1820 to 1920. Between 1920 and 1990 refers to the Soviet Union. From 1991 to 1999, refers to Russia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. Beginning in 2000, refers to Russia only.

11 United Kingdom refers to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland since 1925.

12 Includes Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Serbia and Montenegro (former), and Slovenia.

13 Includes North Korea and South Korea.

14 Syria included in Turkey from 1886 to 1923.

15 Includes British North America and Canadian provinces.

16 Land arrivals not completely enumerated until 1908.

17 No data available for Canada or Mexico from 1886 to 1893.

18 Jamaica included in British West Indies from 1892 to 1952.

19 Panama Canal Zone included in Panama from 1932 to 1972.

20 New Zealand included in Australia from 1892 to 1924.

21 Includes 32,897 persons returning in 1906 to their homes in the United States.

Note: Official recording of immigration to the United States began in 1820 after the passage of the Act of March 2, 1819. From 1820 to 1867, figures represent alien passenger arrivals at seaports; from 1868 to 1891 and 1895 to 1897, immigrant alien arrivals; from 1892 to 1894 and 1898 to 2014, immigrant aliens admitted for permanent residence; from 1892 to 1903, aliens entering by cabin class were not counted as immigrants. Land arrivals were not completely enumerated until 1908. For this table, Fiscal Year 1843 covers 9 months ending September 30, 1843; Fiscal Years 1832 and 1850 cover 15 months ending December 31 of the respective years; Fiscal Year 1868 covers 6 months ending June 30, 1868; and Fiscal Year 1976 covers 15 months ending September 30, 1976.

Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Last Updated: 11/21/2023
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