Who's Receiving The Most Green Cards (By Country Of Origin)

Many people around the world dream of living in the United States, seeking better opportunities or fleeing conflict and poverty. The U.S. is home to more immigrants than any other nation, surpassing the combined totals of Germany, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

This graphic, via Visual Capitalist’s Marcus Lu, ranks the top 15 countries of origin for people who gained permanent residency in the U.S. in 2022.

The data was sourced from the Office of Homeland Security Statistics. In total, 1,018,340 people received green cards in 2022.

Mexico and India Top the List

Mexico remains the most significant contributor to U.S. immigration, with 10.7 million immigrants. Consequently, it leads in the number of green cards, with 139,000 issued in 2022. Many Mexicans come to the U.S. seeking economic opportunities, better living standards, and family reunification.

India ranks second, with 127,000 immigrants receiving green cards. Indian immigration has surged due to the country’s large pool of skilled professionals, particularly in the tech and healthcare sectors, seeking better job prospects and higher education opportunities in the U.S.

Indian Immigration Rises

In 2020, the number of new permanent residents from India fell to a 10-year low of 46,363, possibly due to stricter COVID-19 travel restrictions. However, immigration has increased since then, climbing to 93,450 in 2021 and 127,012 in 2022.

Together, immigrants from Mexico and India accounted for 265,784 green cards, making up 26% of the total issued in 2022.