E.g., 06/07/2024
E.g., 06/07/2024
International Students

International Students

_IntStudents

International student education represents a large and lucrative industry in many developed countries. Beyond the tuition fees and human capital they bring, international students represent a valuable pool of skilled immigrants for governments wishing to recruit into their labor force people who are presumed to already have advanced knowledge of the host-country language and traditions and who represent tried and tested individuals. As a result, countries increasingly have been seeking innovative policies to attract and retain international students.

Recent Activity

Henna IllinoisSpringfield Flickr
Articles
August 31, 2017
Indian Immigrants in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
Naturalization OldSalemInc Flickr
Articles
March 8, 2017
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
ScienceLab MichaelTipton Flickr
Articles
January 4, 2017
To Stay or Not To Stay: The Calculus for International STEM Students in the United States
By Luka Klimaviciute
IntlStudents SouthernArkansasU Flickr
Articles
May 12, 2016
International Students in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
coverthumb tcmchina
Reports
February 2016
Emigration Trends and Policies in China: Movement of the Wealthy and Highly Skilled
By  Biao Xiang
_BrainWaste+Credentialing
Articles
February 3, 2016
College-Educated Immigrants in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova
_Obama3
Articles
December 16, 2015
White House Uses Many Levers of Power to Effect Change as Obama and Congress Remain Deadlocked on Immigration
By Sarah Pierce
DiwaliinCupertino JitzeCouperus Flickr
Articles
May 6, 2015
Indian Immigrants in the United States
By Jie Zong and Jeanne Batalova

Pages

Statue of Liberty from boat
Spotlight
March 14, 2019
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States

Immigrant arrivals to the United States and the makeup of the foreign-born population have been changing in significant ways: Recent immigrants are more likely to be from Asia than from Mexico and the overall immigrant population is growing at a slower rate than before the 2008-09 recession. This useful article collects in one place some of the most sought-after statistics on immigrants in the United States.

Canadian family on Canada Day
Spotlight
June 7, 2018
Canadian Immigrants in the United States

Though small, the population of Canadians in the United States is quite diverse, and includes students, highly skilled professionals on H-1B or NAFTA visas, family migrants, and retirees. Canadian immigrants have much higher educational attainment and incomes than the native- and overall foreign-born populations. This article offers an interesting data snapshot of Canadians in the United States.

American SeanDavis Flickr crop
Spotlight
February 8, 2018
Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States

The United States is by far the world's top migration destination, home to roughly one-fifth of all global migrants. In 2016, nearly 44 million immigrants lived in the United States, comprising 13.5 percent of the country's population. Get the most sought-after data available on immigrants and immigration trends, including top countries of origin, legal immigration pathways, enforcement actions, health-care coverage, and much more.

Airport protest
Top Ten
December 20, 2017
Under Trump Administration, United States Takes Steps to Narrow Legal Immigration

During its first year, the Trump administration methodically put in place a series of bureaucratic barriers that could significantly reduce opportunities for foreigners to come to the United States legally. Among the actions taken during 2017: Imposition of a much-challenged travel ban suspending the entry of nationals from certain Muslim-majority countries, cuts to refugee admissions, and increased scrutiny for visa applicants.

Chinatown in New York City
Spotlight
September 29, 2017
Chinese Immigrants in the United States

The Chinese represent the third-largest immigrant population in the United States, their numbers having grown rapidly in recent decades. The population is atypical in some respects: Far more highly educated and likely to have come via student and employment pathways than the overall U.S. foreign-born population. This article offers key data on Chinese immigrants, including top destinations, incomes, and English proficiency.

Pages

archive >

Recent Activity

Articles
August 31, 2017

Indian Immigrants in the United States

Immigrants from India are the second-largest foreign-born group in the United States, after Mexicans. Indian immigrants tend to be far more highly educated and have greater English proficiency than the foreign-born population overall. This Spotlight article offers the latest data on Indian immigrants, focusing on population size, state- and city-level distribution, occupation, educational attainment, and more.

Articles
March 8, 2017

Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States

In 2015, 43.3 million immigrants lived in the United States, comprising 13.5 percent of the population. The foreign-born population grew more slowly than in prior years, up 2 percent from 2014. Get sought-after data on U.S. immigration trends, including top countries of origin, Mexican migration, refugee admissions, illegal immigration, health-care coverage, and much more in this Spotlight article.

Articles
January 4, 2017

To Stay or Not To Stay: The Calculus for International STEM Students in the United States

More than 1 million international students were in the United States in 2015-16, a significant share of them in science, technology, engineering, or math (STEM) fields. While countries increasingly are vying for this population, these individuals face a complex choice upon graduation: to stay or leave? This article examines international STEM students in the United States and the motivations underlying their postgraduation plans.

Articles
May 12, 2016

International Students in the United States

The number of international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities has risen steadily since the mid-20th century. Today, the United States represents the top destination for international students worldwide. Learn more about where these students come from, which universities they attend, and the subjects they study in this Spotlight article.

Reports
February 2016

Emigration Trends and Policies in China: Movement of the Wealthy and Highly Skilled

This report analyzes the evolution of Chinese emigration from the 1970s, when market-oriented reforms began reducing barriers to movement beyond the country's borders, to the present day. High-skilled and high-value emigration is rising fast. Despite liberalized exit controls, low-skilled labor migration is stagnant as a result of complicated and expensive recruitment procedures.

Articles
February 3, 2016

College-Educated Immigrants in the United States

The number of college-educated immigrants in the United States has more than tripled in the last two decades. Asians accounted for 46 percent of the 10.5 million college-educated immigrants, with India the top origin country. This Spotlight article examines key indicators of the college-educated population, including international students and high-skilled H-1B visa holders.

Articles
December 16, 2015

White House Uses Many Levers of Power to Effect Change as Obama and Congress Remain Deadlocked on Immigration

President Obama actively utilized the powers of the executive to reshape U.S. immigration policy in 2015. From signature deportation relief programs and changes to visa waiver eligibility to new grants of Temporary Protected Status and revised enforcement priorities, the administration made sweeping changes that touch all aspects of U.S. immigration policy. The actions prompted pushback, however, with 26 states suing to halt implementation of new deferred action programs.

Articles
May 6, 2015

Indian Immigrants in the United States

Indian immigrants represent the second-largest origin group in the United States, accounting for 4.7 percent of the total foreign-born population. Generally high-skilled and highly educated, more than half of Indian immigrants have arrived since 2000 and largely attain green cards through employment-based pathways. Indians account for 70 percent of H-1B petitions and are the second-largest group of international students in the United States.

Pages