Immigration and STEM Talent in the United States: Estimating the Size of the Pre-LPR Population

Guillermina Jasso, New York University

Highly skilled foreign-born persons make large, sometimes spectacular, contributions to the United States. However, although the United States warmly welcomes students and trainees and, less warmly, temporary workers such as H-1B workers, those who would like to make it their permanent home face an unwelcoming array of requirements, obstacles and delays, often resulting in ineligibility for legal permanent residence or discouragement with the visa process. Hence, there appears to be a large and increasing number of highly skilled persons at various stages of the visa process. This paper reports new estimates of the number of persons waiting in line in the United States for legal permanent residence via the main three employment-based categories. Estimates are also provided for those waiting abroad and for family members.