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United States

United States Migration Stats

Background:

Formerly known as the New World, immigration has long been a major aspect of US life. Indeed, it has the largest immigrant population on earth, with 38 million people arriving in the country from abroad. However, the US also has the highest number of new citizenships in the world. In 2000, some 898,000 immigrants became US citizens - 4 times that of the 2nd-placed nation, Canada.

Definitions

  • Asylum Seekers: Thousands of asylum seekers coming into a nation in 2001.
  • Asylum Seekers > 1980-89: Total number of asylum seekers between the years 1980 and 1989.
  • Asylum Seekers > 1980-89 > Per $ GDP: Total number of asylum seekers between the years 1980 and 1989. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 14.1 billion $ gross domestic product.
  • Asylum Seekers > 1980-89 per million: Total number of asylum seekers between the years 1980 and 1989. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Asylum Seekers > 1990-99: Total number of asylum seekers between the years 1980 and 1989.
  • Asylum Seekers > 1990-99 > Per $ GDP: Total number of asylum seekers between the years 1980 and 1989. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 14.1 billion $ gross domestic product.
  • Asylum Seekers > 1990-99 per million: Total number of asylum seekers between the years 1980 and 1989. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Asylum Seekers > Per $ GDP: Thousands of asylum seekers coming into a nation in 2001. Per $ GDP figures expressed per $1 million of Gross Domestic Product.
  • Asylum Seekers per million: Thousands of asylum seekers coming into a nation in 2001. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Asylum seekers acceptance rates > 1980-89: % of asylum seekers accepted between the years 1980 and 1989.
  • Asylum seekers acceptance rates > 1990-99: % of asylum seekers accepted between the years 1990 and 1999.
  • Emigration rate of tertiary educated > % of total tertiary educated population: Emigration rate of tertiary educated shows the stock of emigrants ages 25 and older, residing in an OECD country other than that in which they were born, with at least one year of tertiary education as a percentage of the population age 25 and older with tertiary education."
  • Foreign population: Foreign population as % of total population; data for 2000
  • Foreign worker salaries: Workers' remittances and compensation of employees comprise current transfers by migrant workers and wages and salaries earned by nonresident workers. Remittances are classified as current private transfers from migrant workers resident in the host country for more than a year, irrespective of their immigration status, to recipients in their country of origin. Migrants' transfers are defined as the net worth of migrants who are expected to remain in the host country for more than one year that is transferred from one country to another at the time of migration. Compensation of employees is the income of migrants who have lived in the host country for less than a year. Data are in current U.S. dollars."
  • Foreign worker salaries > % of GDP: Workers' remittances and compensation of employees comprise current transfers by migrant workers and wages and salaries earned by nonresident workers. Data are the sum of three items defined in the fifth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: workers' remittances, compensation of employees, and migrants' transfers. Remittances are classified as current private transfers from migrant workers resident in the host country for more than a year, irrespective of their immigration status, to recipients in their country of origin. Migrants' transfers are defined as the net worth of migrants who are expected to remain in the host country for more than one year that is transferred from one country to another at the time of migration. Compensation of employees is the income of migrants who have lived in the host country for less than a year."
  • Immigration to Australia > Country of birth of Australian residents > Estimated resident population: Immigrant residents in Australia by country of origin in 2006.
  • International migrant stock > % of population: International migrant stock is the number of people born in a country other than that in which they live. It also includes refugees. The data used to estimate the international migrant stock at a particular time are obtained mainly from population censuses. The estimates are derived from the data on foreign-born population--people who have residence in one country but were born in another country. When data on the foreign-born population are not available, data on foreign population--that is, people who are citizens of a country other than the country in which they reside--are used as estimates. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 people living in one of the newly independent countries who were born in another were classified as international migrants. Estimates of migrant stock in the newly independent states from 1990 on are based on the 1989 census of the Soviet Union. For countries with information on the international migrant stock for at least two points in time, interpolation or extrapolation was used to estimate the international migrant stock on July 1 of the reference years. For countries with only one observation, estimates for the reference years were derived using rates of change in the migrant stock in the years preceding or following the single observation available. A model was used to estimate migrants for countries that had no data."
  • International migrant stock > Total: International migrant stock is the number of people born in a country other than that in which they live. It also includes refugees. The data used to estimate the international migrant stock at a particular time are obtained mainly from population censuses. The estimates are derived from the data on foreign-born population--people who have residence in one country but were born in another country. When data on the foreign-born population are not available, data on foreign population--that is, people who are citizens of a country other than the country in which they reside--are used as estimates. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 people living in one of the newly independent countries who were born in another were classified as international migrants. Estimates of migrant stock in the newly independent states from 1990 on are based on the 1989 census of the Soviet Union. For countries with information on the international migrant stock for at least two points in time, interpolation or extrapolation was used to estimate the international migrant stock on July 1 of the reference years. For countries with only one observation, estimates for the reference years were derived using rates of change in the migrant stock in the years preceding or following the single observation available. A model was used to estimate migrants for countries that had no data."
  • Net migration: Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates. To derive estimates of net migration, the United Nations Population Division takes into account the past migration history of a country or area, the migration policy of a country, and the influx of refugees in recent periods. The data to calculate these official estimates come from a variety of sources, including border statistics, administrative records, surveys, and censuses. When no official estimates can be made because of insufficient data, net migration is derived through the balance equation, which is the difference between overall population growth and the natural increase during the 1990-2000 intercensal period."
  • Net migration > Per capita: Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates. To derive estimates of net migration, the United Nations Population Division takes into account the past migration history of a country or area, the migration policy of a country, and the influx of refugees in recent periods. The data to calculate these official estimates come from a variety of sources, including border statistics, administrative records, surveys, and censuses. When no official estimates can be made because of insufficient data, net migration is derived through the balance equation, which is the difference between overall population growth and the natural increase during the 1990-2000 intercensal period." Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Net migration rate: The difference between the number of persons entering and leaving a country during the year per 1,000 persons (based on midyear population). An excess of persons entering the country is referred to as net immigration (e.g., 3.56 migrants/1,000 population); an excess of persons leaving the country as net emigration (e.g., -9.26 migrants/1,000 population). The net migration rate indicates the contribution of migration to the overall level of population change. High levels of migration can cause problems such as increasing unemployment and potential ethnic strife (if people are coming in) or a reduction in the labor force, perhaps in certain key sectors (if people are leaving).
  • New citizenships: Thousands of people who acquired nationality in 2000. Statistics cover all means of acquiring the nationality of a country, except where otherwise indicated. These include standard naturalisation procedures subject to age, residency, etc. criteria, as well as situations where nationality is acquired through a declaration or by option (following marriage, adoption, or other situations related to residency or descent), recovery of former nationality and other special means of acquiring the nationality of a country. For more details on sources, refer to the notes at the end of the OECD Annex.
  • New citizenships > Per $ GDP: Thousands of people who acquired nationality in 2000. Statistics cover all means of acquiring the nationality of a country, except where otherwise indicated. These include standard naturalisation procedures subject to age, residency, etc. criteria, as well as situations where nationality is acquired through a declaration or by option (following marriage, adoption, or other situations related to residency or descent), recovery of former nationality and other special means of acquiring the nationality of a country. For more details on sources, refer to the notes at the end of the OECD Annex. Per $ GDP figures expressed per 1 billion $ gross domestic product.
  • New citizenships per million: Thousands of people who acquired nationality in 2000. Statistics cover all means of acquiring the nationality of a country, except where otherwise indicated. These include standard naturalisation procedures subject to age, residency, etc. criteria, as well as situations where nationality is acquired through a declaration or by option (following marriage, adoption, or other situations related to residency or descent), recovery of former nationality and other special means of acquiring the nationality of a country. For more details on sources, refer to the notes at the end of the OECD Annex. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Refugee population by country or territory of asylum: Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organisation of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of asylum is the country where an asylum claim was filed and granted."
  • Refugee population by country or territory of asylum > Per capita: Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organisation of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of asylum is the country where an asylum claim was filed and granted." Per capita figures expressed per 1,000 population.
  • Refugee population by country or territory of origin: Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organisation of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of origin generally refers to the nationality or country of citizenship of a claimant."
  • Refugee population by country or territory of origin > Per capita: Refugees are people who are recognized as refugees under the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees or its 1967 Protocol, the 1969 Organisation of African Unity Convention Governing the Specific Aspects of Refugee Problems in Africa, people recognized as refugees in accordance with the UNHCR statute, people granted refugee-like humanitarian status, and people provided temporary protection. Asylum seekers--people who have applied for asylum or refugee status and who have not yet received a decision or who are registered as asylum seekers--are excluded. Palestinian refugees are people (and their descendants) whose residence was Palestine between June 1946 and May 1948 and who lost their homes and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict. Country of origin generally refers to the nationality or country of citizenship of a claimant." Per capita figures expressed per 1 million population.
  • Refugees > Inflow 1990-99: Number of refugees accepted by each country between the years 1990 and 1999.
  • Refugees > Inflow 1990-99 per million: Number of refugees accepted by each country between the years 1990 and 1999. Figures expressed per million population for the same year.
  • Refugees and internally displaced persons > Refugees > Country of origin: This entry includes those persons residing in a country as refugees or internally displaced persons (IDPs). The definition of a refugee according to a United Nations Convention is "a person who is outside his/her country of nationality or habitual residence; has a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group or political opinion; and is unable or unwilling to avail himself/herself of the protection of that country, or to return there, for fear of persecution." The UN established the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 1950 to handle refugee matters worldwide. The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has a different, operational definition for a Palestinian refugee: "a person whose normal place of residence was Palestine during the period 1 June 1946 to 15 May 1948 and who lost both home and means of livelihood as a result of the 1948 conflict." However, UNHCR also assists some 400,000 Palestinian refugees not covered under the UNRWA definition. The term "internally displaced person" is not specifically covered in the UN Convention; it is used to describe people who have fled their homes for reasons similar to refugees, but who remain within their own national territory and are subject to the laws of that state.
STAT AMOUNT DATE RANK HISTORY
Asylum Seekers 86.4 2001 3rd out of 28
Asylum Seekers > 1980-89 395.8 1980 2nd out of 16
Asylum Seekers > 1980-89 > Per $ GDP 0.475 per $14.1 billion of GDP 1980 11th out of 16
Asylum Seekers > 1980-89 per million 1.74 1980 11th out of 16
Asylum Seekers > 1990-99 897.6 1990 2nd out of 18
Asylum Seekers > 1990-99 > Per $ GDP 1.08 per $14.1 billion of GDP 1990 16th out of 18
Asylum Seekers > 1990-99 per million 3.6 1990 15th out of 18
Asylum Seekers > Per $ GDP 7.35e-06 per $1 million 2001 25th out of 28
Asylum Seekers per million 0.303 2001 21st out of 28
Asylum seekers acceptance rates > 1980-89 26.8% 1980 12th out of 16
Asylum seekers acceptance rates > 1990-99 43.9% 1990 5th out of 18
Emigration rate of tertiary educated > % of total tertiary educated population 0.45% 2000 180th out of 182
Foreign population 10.4% 2000 6th out of 27
Foreign worker salaries 48.31 billion 2009 2nd out of 154
Foreign worker salaries > % of GDP 0.02% 2009 146th out of 149
Immigration to Australia > Country of birth of Australian residents > Estimated resident population 64832 2006
International migrant stock > % of population 13.28% 2005 46th out of 199
International migrant stock > Total 39.27 million 2005 2nd out of 199
Net migration 5.68 million 2005 2nd out of 179
Net migration > Per capita 19,148.45 per 1 million people 2005 34th out of 179
Net migration rate 2.92 migrant(s)/1,000 populati 2008 29th out of 171
New citizenships 898 thousand 2000 1st out of 20
New citizenships > Per $ GDP 0.076 per $1 billion 2000 11th out of 20
New citizenships per million 3.18 thousand 2000 7th out of 20
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum 275,461 2009 10th out of 152
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum > Per capita 0.92 per 1,000 people 2008 66th out of 147
Refugee population by country or territory of origin 2,368 2009 68th out of 175
Refugee population by country or territory of origin > Per capita 7.03 per 1 million people 2008 153th out of 175
Refugees > Inflow 1990-99 1,089 1990 1st out of 18
Refugees > Inflow 1990-99 per million 4.36 1990 10th out of 18
Refugees and internally displaced persons > Refugees > Country of origin the US admitted 62,643 refugees during FY04/05 including; 10,586 (Somalia); 8,549 (Laos); 6,666 (Russia); 6,479 (Cuba); 3,100 (Haiti); 2,136 (Iran) 2006

SOURCES: OECD; OECD; OECD. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; OECD. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Fr\xE9d\xE9ric Docquier, Abdeslam Marfouk, and B. Lindsay Lowell's, ""A Gendered Assessment of the Brain Drain"" (2007).; OECD; World Bank staff estimates based on IMF balance of payments data.; World Bank staff estimates based on IMF balance of payments data, and World Bank and OECD GDP estimates.; United Nations Population Division, Trends in Total Migrant Stock: 2008 Revision.; United Nations Population Division, World Population Prospects 2008.; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), Statistical Yearbook and data files, complemented by statistics on Palestinian refugees under the mandate of the UNRWA as published on its website. Data from UNHCR are available online at: www.unhcr.org/statistics/populationdatabase.

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United States People > Migration Profiles (Subcategories)

Asylum Seekers 6

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