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Table 2. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status by Region and Selected Country of Last Residence: Fiscal Years 2015 to 2017

The 2017 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 2015 to 2017
Region and country of last residence 1 2015 2016 2017
      Total 1,051,031 1,183,505 1,127,167
   Europe 90,789 98,043 89,706
Austria-Hungary 2,3 2,965 2,620 2,886
Austria 2, 3 1,928 1,621 1,962
Hungary 2, 3 1,037 999 924
Belgium 809 821 742
Bulgaria 4 2,585 2,560 2,070
Czechoslovakia 5 1,236 1,299 1,142
Denmark 634 562 536
Finland 6 397 512 478
France 5,034 5,473 4,973
Germany 3 5,965 5,895 5,369
Greece 1,330 1,664 1,495
Ireland 7 1,798 1,895 1,685
Italy 3,829 4,385 4,055
Netherlands 1,505 1,550 1,285
Norway-Sweden 8 1,551 1,729 1,523
Norway 8 357 404 377
Sweden 8 1,194 1,325 1,146
Poland 3 4,921 5,287 4,592
Portugal 9 869 1,017 910
Romania 3,160 3,322 2,722
Russia 3, 6,10 9,030 9,280 8,841
Spain 3,707 4,018 3,555
Switzerland 1,007 1,090 837
United Kingdom 11 14,653 14,887 13,318
Yugoslavia 12 4,721 5,392 4,966
   Other Europe 19,083 22,785 21,726
   Asia 405,854 442,854 404,371
China 70,977 77,658 66,479
Hong Kong 2,426 2,982 2,893
India 61,380 61,691 57,155
Iran 9,074 9,596 9,311
Israel 4,324 4,652 4,227
Japan 5,808 5,709 5,176
Jordan 7,835 7,345 8,219
Korea 13 16,976 21,329 18,559
Philippines 54,307 50,609 46,542
Syria 14 5,459 3,800 3,010
Taiwan 4,814 5,062 4,787
Turkey 14 8,762 8,635 9,144
Vietnam 30,332 40,412 37,541
   Other Asia 123,380 143,374 131,328
   America 439,228 502,639 489,676
Canada and Newfoundland 15,16,17 19,309 19,349 18,469
Mexico 16,17 157,227 172,726 168,980
Caribbean 146,086 180,479 173,724
Cuba 54,178 66,120 64,749
Dominican Republic 50,382 60,613 58,384
Haiti 16,787 23,185 21,501
Jamaica 18 17,362 22,833 21,517
Other Caribbean 18 7,377 7,728 7,573
   Central America 46,556 54,512 52,907
Belize 804 878 754
Costa Rica 2,121 2,295 2,259
El Salvador 18,699 21,268 21,920
Guatemala 11,466 12,548 12,792
Honduras 9,071 12,996 11,147
Nicaragua 3,262 3,397 3,014
Panama 19 1,133 1,130 1,021
   Other Central America - - -
   South America 70,049 75,571 75,595
Argentina 3,542 3,783 3,191
Bolivia 1,549 1,481 1,399
Brazil 11,247 13,528 14,832
Chile 1,620 1,711 1,664
Colombia 16,509 16,830 16,341
Ecuador 9,816 10,779 10,826
Guyana 5,313 4,909 4,683
Paraguay 353 400 364
Peru 9,973 10,519 9,767
Suriname 116 130 111
Uruguay 1,023 911 952
Venezuela 8,985 10,590 11,465
   Other South America 3 - -
   Other America 1 2 1
Africa 98,677 110,754 116,667
Egypt 13,907 13,367 11,166
Ethiopia 12,566 13,699 15,678
Liberia 3,580 3,545 4,085
Morocco 3,569 4,447 4,066
South Africa 3,298 3,441 3,438
   Other Africa 61,757 72,255 78,234
   Oceania 6,227 6,489 5,986
Australia 20 3,795 4,173 3,818
New Zealand 20 978 939 900
Other Oceania 1,454 1,377 1,268
Not Specified 21 10,256 22,726 20,761

- 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: 11/22/2023
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