In this article, we will be taking a look at the 20 states with the 25 countries with highest immigration to U.S. To skip our detailed analysis, you can go directly to see the 5 countries with highest immigration to U.S.
Currently, most of the advanced world has seen immigration become the most controversial topic in recent times, with entire elections being dependent on immigration platforms. This is particularly true in Europe, where lax immigration policies have seen millions of asylum seekers and refugees move to the region in the last decade alone. This has also led to a major rise in anti-Islam sentiments, and often, anti-migration and anti-Islam has led to far-right parties gaining power in many European countries, including Italy and most recently, the Netherlands.
On the other hand, the U.S., which is the country with by far the highest number of immigrants in the world, is still much more open to immigration, though it has also been a hot topic in the country. While the countries with the highest immigration to U.S. benefit from remittances, the U.S. benefits through acquiring a diverse workforce which enables greater economic progression. Even then, Donald Trump’s campaign and eventual presidency were strongly against immigration, especially Muslim immigration, and initially banned immigrants from 7 Muslim majority countries, bans which were later overturned by the courts. Another focus has been on curbing illegal immigrants, which does make sense since migrants should be following the rule of law while moving to another country, and shouldn’t a start new life based on illegal maneuvering, and yet, the rhetoric used against illegal immigrants is also incorrect.
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Illegal immigrants are said to be a major drain on the economy, taking from the states, especially those with the highest number of immigrant workers and don’t give anything in return since they’re not paying any taxes. Of course, that is not even close to the truth. According to the Migration Policy Institute, in 2010, the Social Services Administration calculated that illegal immigrants actually contributed around $12 billion more to the U.S. economy than they took out. This is a brilliant example of how even illegal immigrants add to the country’s success, though of course, that still doesn’t justify the illegality of their actions. Often times, you will see a co-relation between the countries with the highest immigration to the U.S. and countries with the highest illegal immigrants in the U.S.
Immigrant workers are also the backbone of the U.S. economy. After all, currently around 18.1% of the total workforce in the U.S. is comprised of immigrants, who also tend to see a lower level of unemployment. Part of this may be explained by the fact that most immigrants come from worse situations and move to the U.S. to build a better life for themselves and their family, and hence, are more likely to take on most types of work without complaint. A study conducted by the Organization of Economically Developed Countries tackled the question of whether higher immigration leads to a better economy, and concluded that not only does it stimulate economic growth, it also improves innovation and leads to reduced dependency ratios. This was backed by another study by the Joint Economic Committee in the U.S. which stated that immigrants provide “essential labor”.
Even though there is little doubt that immigrants play a major role in the development and improvement of a country’s economy, being able to migrate isn’t an easy task by any means, even for the countries with the most immigrants in the U.S. There are often a lot of hoops to jump through, and even though a person may possess all the skills and experience they need, immigrant can still be complex and difficult, which has let to the establishment of many startups which help immigrants migrate to other countries. One such company is Localyze, which provides access to immigration related resources and helps connect employees to their dream jobs regardless of location. Another such company is the global recruitment agency established in Texas, Visa Solutions. Visa Solutions was created in 2008 and since then, has assisted thousands of people with their visa processing and helped them establish new lives in the U.S.
Some of the biggest companies in the world have also started to realize the importance of diversity in recent years, and have increased efforts on promoting diversity, which includes people of different nationalities. At the same time, around 44% of Fortune 500 companies were either founded by immigrants or their children, just another statistic to display just how much America’s economy is dependent on immigrants, and the countries with the most immigrants in the U.S. In fact, many CEOs in the companies with the highest net income in the world, are also foreigners, especially for those companies based in the U.S.
At the same time, some companies can also get too caught up in favoring immigrants and running afoul of laws in this respect. Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), the most valuable company in the world was fined $25 million in 2023 by the Department of Justice for illegally trying to recruit immigrants over U.S. citizens for some positions, with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) accepting the charge. Even then, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) has had a stellar year and its YTD stock price has jumped by over 50%.
Here is what Baron Technology Fund has to say about Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) in its Q3 2023 investor letter:
“After a strong start to the year, shares of Apple Inc. partially retraced their gains this quarter. Mixed second calendar quarter financial results, with iPhone, iPad, and Wearables revenue coming in just shy of consensus expectations, coupled with elevated investor concerns about the macro economy and potential weakness in consumer spending later this year, pressured shares. Despite these quarterly fluctuations in product sales, we are encouraged by several long-term trends, including: (1) revenue from higher-margin services like the App Store, iCloud, and Apple Pay, which are growing faster than the overall business, driving better revenue visibility and higher free-cash-flow (FCF) margins; (2) continued gains in global market share in smartphones, wearables, and other hardware categories; and (3) consistent returns of capital to shareholders via share repurchases and dividends. On top of these trends in the core business, Apple is thoughtfully investing in new categories like augmented reality, search, financial services, and streaming media content. We took advantage of weakness in the quarter to add to our position in Apple.”
Methodology
To determine the countries with the highest immigration to the U.S., we headed over to the Migration Policy Institute, which has data on immigration statistics. We then considered the countries which had the highest number of immigrants in the U.S. as of 2022 in the last 10 years.
25. Ireland
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 118,539
The Irish have made major contributions to U.S. culture throughout the last two centuries, and while their numbers have dwindled, are still among the countries with the most immigrants to the U.S.
24. Israel
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 133,935
Total legal permanent residents from 2013 to 2023: 111,261
Israel may likely climb up the list of countries with the highest immigration to the U.S. considering the security situation in the country right now. The U.S. has been the biggest backer of Israeli transgressions, and both countries enjoy a strong relationship which has facilitated immigration.
23. Lebanon
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 144,024
Total legal permanent residents from 2013 to 2023: 112,110
The Lebanese diaspora in the U.S. may not be huge, but it has had influence, especially in terms of cuisine. Lebanese immigration to the U.S. has decline since the 1990s, numbering around 5,000 annually.
22. Portugal
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 163,523
The Portuguese diaspora has a strong history in the U.S., and the vast majority of Portuguese immigrants come from Azore Islands.
21. France
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 190,183
French Americans have the largest presence as a percentage of total population in Maine, while California has the highest number of French Americans. However, the reason France isn’t higher in this list is because of historically low immigration as compared to other European nations in the 19th century.
20. Italy
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 303,297
Between 1880 and 1924, around 4 million Italians immigrated to the U.S., which established the nation among the countries with the most immigration to the U.S. Italians have had a huge impact on American culture and even influenced U.S. immigration policy.
19. Japan
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 345,668
Around 68% of Japanese Americans have a favorable view of the U.S. and only 6% have a very or somewhat unfavorable view, the lowest among all Asian Americans.
18. Taiwan
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 374,103
Taiwan has obtained significant support from the U.S. despite challenges from China, and considering the relations between the two nations, it comes as no surprise that Taiwan is among the countries with the most immigration to the U.S.
17. Iran
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 397,735
Iran has faced severe U.S. sanctions for several years now, but even then, the U.S. has accepted several Iranians over the decades, with the total number now nearing 400,000.
16. Poland
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 412,797
Poland has had the largest presence of Slavic Americans in the U.S. ever since their first immigration wave in the 19th century.
15. Russia
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 425,429
Russia – U.S. relations are currently at their lowest since the end of the Cold War, following the former’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, in a war which is still ongoing. However, the U.S. has recently faced criticism for quietly resuming deportation of Russians who were attempting to flee the war. Since Putin’s war draft began, around 22,000 Russians have attempted to enter the U.S.
14. Germany
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 540,203
From 1840 to 1880, Germany led the list of countries with the most immigrants to the U.S., as millions moved to America. A strong relationship between the two nations after World War 2 has ensured continued immigration to the benefit of both countries.
13. Brazil
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 569,325
Primarily, middle and lower income families in Brazil migrate to other nations, which isn’t very surprising considering that Brazil has historically seen a low rate of emigration. However, 2022 has seen a significant uptake of Brazilians becoming permanent residents in the U.S. as opposed to other years in the last decade.
12. United Kingdom
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 701,102
The UK and the U.S. have had strong relations for several decades, and a common language has made migration between the two countries even easier.
11. Canada
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 778,497
Despite being a direct neighbor to the U.S., Canada doesn’t rank very highly in our list of countries with the highest U.S. immigrants
10. Jamaica
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 796,290
According to Migration Policy Institute, Jamaica is the largest origin country for Black immigrants in the U.S. Recently, increased restrictions by the U.S. have resulted in an increase in deportations for Jamaicans.
9. Colombia
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 854,921
Colombia has recently decried the treatment of its immigrants in the U.S., using the term “cruel” even as it cancelled U.S. deportation flights.
8. South Korea
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 1,011,589
South Korea has enjoyed strong ties with the U.S., resulting in increased immigration from Korea to the U.S. However, in the last decade, 2013 actually saw the highest number of Koreans becoming permanent residents, with numbers falling since.
7. Cuba
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 1,278,627
Surprisingly, Cuba is among the countries with the most immigrants in the U.S., despite being the recipient of significant U.S. sanctions for decades. In fact, it is the top Caribbean country with the highest number of immigrants in the U.S.
6. Vietnam
Total number of immigrants in the U.S.: 1,338,538
Vietnam has seen a steady number of immigrants to the U.S. ever since the Vietnam War which devastated the country in the 1960s.
Click to continue reading and see the 5 Countries with Highest Immigration to U.S.
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Disclosure: None. 25 countries with highest immigration to U.S. is originally published at Insider Monkey.