How many people immigrate to the US via authorized channels?
Updated Apr. 19, 2025Refreshed annually
About 2.6 million new immigrant arrivals in 2022. This was a 67.2% increase from the 1.5 million new immigrant arrivals in 2021.
Immigrants can be authorized to enter the U.S. through several pathways: a green card, which grants permanent residency; a temporary visa, which allows for a specific period and purpose of stay; or through the refugee or asylee process, designed to protect individuals fleeing persecution or violence in their home countries.
In 2022
2.6M
people immigrated to the US via authorized channels
In 2022
67.2%
more people immigrated than in 2021
New immigrant arrivals to the US
Excluding tourism and unauthorized arrivals, the majority of people coming to the U.S. are temporary workers, students, or individuals joining their families. Temporary workers come through various visa programs, such as the H-1B for specialized occupations and the H-2A for agricultural labor. Students typically enter on F-1 or J-1 visas, contributing to the diversity and enrichment of American educational institutions. Citizens and lawful permanent residents may sponsor relatives to move legally to the US through family-based visas.
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
