US Skilled Labor Business Immigration

Delivered January 4th, 2021. Contributors: Dennis K., ChristineD, George K., Foni U., Aleksandar J., Ahmed I., Erika O. and

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Green Cards and H-1B Visas Issued 1990-1999

A Green Card allows an individual to become a naturalized US citizen, with certain rights and responsibilities accompanying the new immigration status. On the other hand, the H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows graduate-level workers to work in the US for 3 years in a specialty occupation. However, an extension is granted in certain permissible circumstances. Data related to the issuance of Green Cards and H-1B visas between 1990 and 1999 is provided in the attached spreadsheet. 
Summary 1,535,872 Green Cards and 100,446 H-1B visas were issued in 1990.
There were 1,826,595 Green Cards and 51,882 H-1B visas issued in 1991.
The year will the least Green Cards issued was 1999 with 646,568 cards.
The year with the least H-1B visas issued was 1992 with 44,290 visas. 

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Green Cards and H-1B Visas Issued 2000-2009

From the 2000 to 2009 period, the most number of Green Cards were issued in 2006, with 1,266,129 applicants getting their lawful permanent residence status. For the same time frame, 2007 saw the most number of H-1B Visas issued, with 461,730 released. The number of Green Cards and H-1B visas that were issued from 2000 to 2009 were presented below and inputted into the shared spreadsheet, columns L to U, and within rows 2 and 3.

Number of Green Cards Issued
 2000:	849,807 
 2001:	1,064,318
 
 2002:	1,063,732
 
 2003:	705,827
 
 2004:	946,142
 
 2005:	1,122,257
 
 2006:	1,266,129
 
 2007:	1,052,415
 
 2008:	1,107,126
 
 2009:	1,130,818
 
Number of H-1B Issued:
 2000:	355,605 
 2001:	384,191
 
 2002:	370,490
 
 2003:	360,498
 
 2004:	386,821
 
 2005:	407,418
 
 2006:	431,853
 
 2007:	461,730
 
 2008:	406,619
 
 2009:	339,243

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Green Cards and H-1B Visas Issued 2010-2019

In 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, about 1.04 million, 1.06 million, 1.03 million, 990,553, 1.02 million, 1.05 million, 1.18 million, 1.13 million, 1.10 million, and 1.03 million persons obtained lawful permanent resident (LPR) status (or Green Cards), respectively. Exact and additional data can be found in rows 2 and 3, columns V-AF, of the attached spreadsheet. 
Although the 2020 annual data for LPR figures has not been compiled yet, the DHS reports that 256,488 persons obtained LPR status from January through April (Q1) 2020. Of the total Green Card recipients in the first quarter 2020, 117,089 were new arrivals and 139,399 were status adjustments from within the U.S. 
The U.S. Department of State provides reports with data on the number of non-immigrant visas issued by classification for fiscal years 1987-2020. According to the statistics, 117,409, 129,134, 135,530, 153,223, 161,369, 172,748, 180,057, 179,049, 179,660, and 188,123 H-1B visas were issued in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, respectively. The department also states that 124,983 H-1B visas were issued in 2020, but it notes that "2020 data are preliminary and subject to change."

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Green Card Applications an H-1B Visa Applications 2000-2004

The statistics regarding the number of Green Card and H-1B Visa Applications received by the United States during the period 2000-2004 is presented below and in the attached spreadsheet.
Number of H-1B Petitions Filed or Received.In 2000: 299,046 H-1B petitions were filled.
In 2001: 342,035 H-1B petitions were filled.
In 2002: 215,190 H-1B petitions were filled.
In 2003: 231,030 H-1B petitions were filled.
In 2004: 312,200 H-1B petitions were filled.
Research StrategyThe yearly number of Green Card applications that the United States had received from 2000 to 2004 could not be readily located among the data reported by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security. Instead, the number of authorized Green Card in the respective years was presented on the annual reports of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service.

The USCIS reports filings of applications received (including Green Card or Form I-485) on its quarterly form reports but the information is only limited to data reported from 2013 to 2020. Reports for previous years are not available.

A press search to locate the number of Green Card applications was conducted for the respective years but there was no publicly available information as media sites reported data based on the annual reports by the DHS and USCIS and they were limited to only the number of persons granted Lawful Permanent Resident Card or Green Cards. 

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Green Card and H-1B Visa Applications 2005-2009

Numbers of H-1B visa applications received or filed from 2005 to 2009 are entered in row C columns Q-U of the attached spreadsheet.
Summary of FindingsThe total number of H-1B applications filed in 2005 was 266,474, 295,915 in 2006, 304,877 in 2007, 288,764 in 2008, and 246,647 in 2009.
The number of Green Card applications filed or received between 2005 and 2009 could not be obtained. 
Research StrategyExhaustive research could not yield the number of Green Card applications filed or received between 2005 and 2009. We found that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provide comprehensive databases with detailed information on the number of persons who received Lawful Permanent Residents status (Green Card). However, these institutions did not keep records on the number of Green Card applications (Form I-485) filed or received before 2012. Furthermore, a press search was also not successful, considering that they publish the data they receive from the USCUS and DHS.

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Green Card and H-1B Visa Applications 2010-2014

The statistics regarding the number of Green Card and H-1B Visa Applications (2010-2014) are mentioned in the attached spreadsheet. 
The number of applications received for Green Card was not available, instead, the number of authorized green card in the respective years is mentioned in the spreadsheet.

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Green Card and H-1B Visa Applications 2015-2020

The yearly number of green card applications and H-1B visa applications received by the United States during the period 2015-2020 is presented below and in the attached spreadsheet. Government-reported data for fiscal year 2020 is not yet complete. 
Green Card Applications ReceivedThe yearly number of green card applications that the United States had received in recent years could not be readily located among the data reported by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Homeland Security. 
The USCIS reports filings by form type, and as can be seen from its website, the petition form to be used for a green card application varies depending on who is being sponsored or petitioned for a green card. The petition form, for example, could be Form I-130 if the petition is for an alien relative or Form I-140 if the petition is for an alien worker. There are several other petition forms that could be used apart from Form I-130 and Form I-140. 
The only constant is Form I-485, which must be accomplished along with the petition form. Despite the fact that Form I-485 could be used not only for lawful permanent residence application but for other types of status adjustment as well, the USCIS calls it the green card application. It was therefore assumed for the purpose of this project that the number of green card applications received can be approximated by the number of I-485 forms that was received. 
The yearly data that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides on Form I-485 filings are by fiscal year, not calendar year. 
In fiscal year 2015, the number of I-485 forms received was 574,772, the sum of the following figures: 
Family-based adjustments: 298,398 
Employment-based adjustments: 123,239 
Asylum adjustments: 38,378 
Refugee adjustments: 68,420 
Indo-Chinese adjustments: N/A 
Cuban adjustments: 46,337 
In fiscal year 2016, the number of I-485 forms received was 633,221, the sum of the following figures: 
Family-based adjustments: 338,013 
Employment-based adjustments: 128,858 
Asylum adjustments: 38,857 
Refugee adjustments: 66,220 
Indo-Chinese adjustments: -- 
Cuban adjustments: 61,273 
In fiscal year 2017, the number of I-485 forms received was 698,135, the sum of the following figures: 
Family-based adjustments: 365,716 
Employment-based adjustments: 139,555 
Asylum adjustments: 33,235 
Refugee adjustments: 77,416 
Indo-Chinese adjustments: -- 
Cuban adjustments: 82,213 
In fiscal year 2018, the number of I-485 forms received was 628,375, the sum of the following figures:
Family-based adjustments: 334,182 
Employment-based adjustments: 132,708 
Asylum adjustments: 31,711 
Refugee adjustments: 78,007 
Indo-Chinese adjustments: 16 
Cuban adjustments; 51,751 
In fiscal year 2019, the number of I-485 forms received was 520,675, the sum of the following figures:
Family-based adjustments: 333,695 
Employment-based adjustments: 102,025 
Asylum adjustments: 39,915 
Refugee adjustments: 28,166 
Indo-Chinese adjustments: 27 
Cuban adjustments: 16,847 
The USCIS has not yet released the figures for the whole fiscal year 2020. The latest data it has released cover the first three quarters of fiscal year 2020. 
H-1B Visa Applications ReceivedA prospective H-1B worker needs to be petitioned by an employer or agent who must then submit a completed Labor Condition Application (LCA) to the Department of Labor and a completed Form I-129 to the USCIS. Only when the Form I-129 is approved can the worker apply for an H-1B visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate.  
Given the source example that was provided, It was assumed for the purpose of this project that it is the number of H-1B petitions filed that are of interest. 
The yearly data that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provides on H-1B petitions are by fiscal year, not calendar year. 
In fiscal year 2015, there were 318,824 H-1B petitions filed. 
In fiscal year 2016, there were 398,718 H-1B petitions filed. 
In fiscal year 2017, there were 403,675 H-1B petitions filed. 
In fiscal year 2018, there were 418,799 H-1B petitions filed. 
In fiscal year 2019, there were 420,549 H-1B petitions filed. 
The USCIS has not yet reported the total number of H-1B petitions filed in fiscal year 2020. On April 11, 2019, it only reported that it had received 201,011 H-1B petitions for fiscal year 2020 that were subject to caps and that it will continue accepting H-1B petitions that are not subject to caps. 