Skip to main content

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Data and Reports by Topic
  3. Immigration
  4. Yearbook of Immigration Statistics
  5. Yearbook 2020
  6. Table 6. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status by Type and Major Class of Admission: Fiscal Years 2018 to 2020


Table 6. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status by Type and Major Class of Admission: Fiscal Years 2018 to 2020

The 2020 Yearbook of Immigration Statistics is a compendium of tables that provide data on foreign nationals who are granted lawful permanent residence (i.e., immigrants who receive a “green card”), admitted as temporary nonimmigrants, granted asylum or refugee status, or are naturalized. The Yearbook also presents data on immigration enforcement actions, including apprehensions and arrests, removals, and returns.

Table 6. Persons Obtaining Lawful Permanent Resident Status by Type and Major Class of Admission: Fiscal Years 2018 to 2020

Class of Admission (Adjustments of Status and New Arrivals) 2018 2019 2020
Total 1,096,611 1,031,765 707,362
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens 478,961 505,765 321,148
Spouses 268,149 304,334 195,718
Children1 66,794 61,303 37,379
Parents 144,018 140,128 88,051
Family-sponsored preferences 216,563 204,139 121,560
First: Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their children 27,251 24,497 11,383
Second: Spouses, children, and unmarried sons/daughters of alien residents 109,841 93,398 51,701
Third: Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their spouses and children 19,531 25,213 13,930
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of U.S. citizens (at least 21 years of age) and their spouses and children 59,940 61,031 44,546
Employment-based preferences 138,171 139,458 148,959
First: Priority workers 39,514 39,471 47,388
Second: Professionals with advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability 40,095 39,506 43,666
Third: Skilled workers, professionals, and unskilled workers 39,228 41,787 43,218
Fourth: Certain special immigrants 9,711 9,609 10,704
Fifth: Employment creation (investors) 9,623 9,085 3,983
Diversity 45,350 43,463 25,028
Refugees 155,734 80,908 44,404
Asylees 30,175 26,003 19,471
Parolees 14 16 13
Children born abroad to alien residents 69 60 30
Certain Iraqis and Afghans employed by U.S. Government and their spouses and children 10,297 8,081 9,727
Cancellation of removal 4,421 4,033 3,685
Victims of human trafficking 1,208 818 866
Victims of crimes and their spouses and children 15,012 18,442 11,937
Other 636 579 534

Adjustments of Status

Class of Admission (Adjustments of Status) 2018 2019 2020
Total 572,727 578,047 439,209
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens 241,242 316,174 210,074
Spouses 158,424 220,071 140,337
Children1 17,293 21,211 14,397
Parents 65,525 74,892 55,340
Family-sponsored preferences 12,738 19,475 13,958
First: Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their children 2,023 3,718 2,252
Second: Spouses, children, and unmarried sons/daughters of alien residents 4,481 8,380 7,507
Third: Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their spouses and children 1,564 2,363 1,456
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of U.S. citizens (at least 21 years of age) and their spouses and children 4,670 5,014 2,743
Employment-based preferences 110,948 111,016 133,741
First: Priority workers 35,558 37,322 46,104
Second: Professionals with advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability 37,005 36,151 41,262
Third: Skilled workers, professionals, and unskilled workers 28,750 28,333 35,819
Fourth: Certain special immigrants 7,935 7,597 9,343
Fifth: Employment creation (investors) 1,700 1,613 1,213
Diversity 1,139 1,025 868
Refugees 155,734 80,908 44,404
Asylees 30,175 26,003 19,471
Parolees 14 16 13
Children born abroad to alien residents - - -
Certain Iraqis and Afghans employed by U.S. Government and their spouses and children 32 23 -
Cancellation of removal 4,421 4,033 3,685
Victims of human trafficking 1,208 818 866
Victims of crimes and their spouses and children 14,909 18,326 11,888
Other 167 230 241

New Arrivals

Class of Admission (New Arrivals) 2018 2019 2020
Total 523,884 453,718 268,153
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens 237,719 189,591 111,074
Spouses 109,725 84,263 55,381
Children1 49,501 40,092 22,982
Parents 78,493 65,236 32,711
Family-sponsored preferences 203,825 184,664 107,602
First: Unmarried sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their children 25,228 20,779 9,131
Second: Spouses, children, and unmarried sons/daughters of alien residents 105,360 85,018 44,194
Third: Married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens and their spouses and children 17,967 22,850 12,474
Fourth: Brothers/sisters of U.S. citizens (at least 21 years of age) and their spouses and children 55,270 56,017 41,803
Employment-based preferences 27,223 28,442 15,218
First: Priority workers 3,956 2,149 1,284
Second: Professionals with advanced degrees or aliens of exceptional ability 3,090 3,355 2,404
Third: Skilled workers, professionals, and unskilled workers 10,478 13,454 7,399
Fourth: Certain special immigrants 1,776 2,012 1,361
Fifth: Employment creation (investors) 7,923 7,472 2,770
Diversity 44,211 42,438 24,160
Refugees - - -
Asylees - - -
Parolees - - -
Children born abroad to alien residents 69 60 30
Certain Iraqis and Afghans employed by U.S. Government and their spouses and children 10,265 8,058 9,727
Cancellation of removal - - -
Victims of human trafficking - - -
Victims of crimes and their spouses and children 103 116 49
Other 469 349 293

- Represents zero.
1 Includes orphans.

Source: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.