What is the main reason people immigrate to the US via authorized channels?
Data updated June 6, 2024
45.3% immigrated for work in 2022. That’s around 1.7 times higher than the number that came for education, the next most common reason. Other reasons for immigration included family, safety, and various other factors.
In 2022
2.6M
people immigrated via authorized channels
In 2022
45.3%
of immigrants came for work
In 2022
5 in 11
immigrants came for work
In 2022, most people migrated to the US for work
As a whole, work is the primary reason people immigrate to the US, but motivations vary based on where immigrants are coming from. For example, work is the top reason for immigrants from Mexico and India. However, education is the top reason for immigrants from China, Brazil, and South Korea.
Reasons for legally immigrating to the US (2022)
The legal processes through which people immigrate to the US vary too. People coming to the US with non-tourist visas come initially on a temporary basis for reasons such as work, education, and family.
Others immigrate to the US based on lawful permanent resident status, also known as green cards. There are various reasons people may receive green card status, including work, family, or diversity reasons. The top reason green card recipients come to the US is for family.
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Another process through which people enter the US is through refugee status or seeking asylum. Immigrants that arrive with refugee status or seek asylum immigrate to escape persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a social group. Asylum seekers apply for protection after arriving in the US or at its borders, while refugees apply from outside the country. In 2022, there were 25,519 refugee immigrants and 36,615 asylee immigrants.
Reasons for legally immigrating to the US, by method of arrival (2022)
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.
U.S. Department of State
Report of the Visa Office
Department of Homeland Security
Office of Homeland Security Statistics
