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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 1201520162017
      Total1,051,0311,183,5051,127,167
   Europe90,78998,04389,706
Austria-Hungary 2,32,9652,6202,886
Austria 2, 31,9281,6211,962
Hungary 2, 31,037999924
Belgium809821742
Bulgaria 42,5852,5602,070
Czechoslovakia 51,2361,2991,142
Denmark634562536
Finland 6397512478
France5,0345,4734,973
Germany 35,9655,8955,369
Greece1,3301,6641,495
Ireland 71,7981,8951,685
Italy3,8294,3854,055
Netherlands1,5051,5501,285
Norway-Sweden 81,5511,7291,523
Norway 8357404377
Sweden 81,1941,3251,146
Poland 34,9215,2874,592
Portugal 98691,017910
Romania3,1603,3222,722
Russia 3, 6,109,0309,2808,841
Spain3,7074,0183,555
Switzerland1,0071,090837
United Kingdom 1114,65314,88713,318
Yugoslavia 124,7215,3924,966
   Other Europe19,08322,78521,726
   Asia405,854442,854404,371
China70,97777,65866,479
Hong Kong2,4262,9822,893
India61,38061,69157,155
Iran9,0749,5969,311
Israel4,3244,6524,227
Japan5,8085,7095,176
Jordan7,8357,3458,219
Korea 1316,97621,32918,559
Philippines54,30750,60946,542
Syria 145,4593,8003,010
Taiwan4,8145,0624,787
Turkey 148,7628,6359,144
Vietnam30,33240,41237,541
   Other Asia123,380143,374131,328
   America439,228502,639489,676
Canada and Newfoundland 15,16,1719,30919,34918,469
Mexico 16,17157,227172,726168,980
Caribbean146,086180,479173,724
Cuba54,17866,12064,749
Dominican Republic50,38260,61358,384
Haiti16,78723,18521,501
Jamaica 1817,36222,83321,517
Other Caribbean 187,3777,7287,573
   Central America46,55654,51252,907
Belize804878754
Costa Rica2,1212,2952,259
El Salvador18,69921,26821,920
Guatemala11,46612,54812,792
Honduras9,07112,99611,147
Nicaragua3,2623,3973,014
Panama 191,1331,1301,021
   Other Central America---
   South America70,04975,57175,595
Argentina3,5423,7833,191
Bolivia1,5491,4811,399
Brazil11,24713,52814,832
Chile1,6201,7111,664
Colombia16,50916,83016,341
Ecuador9,81610,77910,826
Guyana5,3134,9094,683
Paraguay353400364
Peru9,97310,5199,767
Suriname116130111
Uruguay1,023911952
Venezuela8,98510,59011,465
   Other South America3--
   Other America121
Africa98,677110,754116,667
Egypt13,90713,36711,166
Ethiopia12,56613,69915,678
Liberia3,5803,5454,085
Morocco3,5694,4474,066
South Africa3,2983,4413,438
   Other Africa61,75772,25578,234
   Oceania6,2276,4895,986
Australia 203,7954,1733,818
New Zealand 20978939900
Other Oceania1,4541,3771,268
Not Specified 2110,25622,72620,761

- 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: 10/02/2018
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