TheĀ U.S. Census BureauĀ data released in April 2024 says the USA hosts about 46.2 million immigrants which make up almost 14% of the U.S. population.
According to estimates by theĀ United Nations Population Division, approximately 28.3 million sub-Saharan Africans were residing outside their countries of birth. CĆ“te dāIvoire, South Africa, Uganda, Sudan, and Nigeria were the main destinations for 17.8 million (63%) of the migrants within Africa.
Outside the continent, the United States was the top destination for sub-Saharan Africans, followed by the United Kingdom (1.4 million), France (1.1 million), Italy (524,000), and Canada (435,000).
The number of Eastern African immigrants in the US stood at 737,000 representing 35.2% of the total immigrants, Middle Africa stood at 195,000 (9.3%), Southern African immigrants were 116,000 (5.5%) and the number of immigrants from Western Africa was 929,000 (44.2%).
According to data from theĀ Office of Homeland Security, this table ranks the top 10 African countries where citizens gained permanent residency in 2022.
Below are the top 10 African countries with the highest number of US Green card recipients
| Rank | Global Rank | Country | Green Cards |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | š³š¬ Nigeria | 12,385 |
| 2 | 28 | šŖš¬ Egypt | 8,348 |
| 3 | 32 | šØš² Cameroon | 5,879 |
| 4 | 33 | šŖš¹ Ethiopia | 5,720 |
| 5 | 35 | š¬š Ghana | 5,451 |
| 6 | 37 | š°šŖ Kenya | 5,014 |
| 7 | 40 | š²š¦ Morocco | 4,756 |
| 8 | 41 | šØš© Congo | 4,688 |
| 9 | 48 | šæš¦ South Africa | 3,535 |
| 10 | 56 | š©šæ Algeria | 3,125 |
Nigeria ranks 17th globally and first in Africa. It remains a significant contributor to U.S. immigration, with 12,385 immigrants receiving the green card. Egypt followed in second position with Cameroon, Ethiopia and Ghana coming behind.
Globally, Mexico ranks first position with 138,772 green cards obtained. India, China, Dominican Republic follow closely with 127012, 67950, 40152 and 36542 respectively.
While there are different reasons for relocation which include reuniting with family, studying, or seeking personal safety,Ā USAFactsĀ notes that work remains the top reason for immigration. The report adds that in 2021, 42% of the 1.5 million people who immigrated to the US came for work.
By Solomon Ekanem
Read theĀ Original articleĀ onĀ https://africa.businessinsider.com
