Brazilians have a record with US green cards

In 2023, the number of Brazilians who received green card to us to us It was an achievement. That’s what a study by law firm AG Immigration reveals, with data obtained from the US Department of Homeland Security.

Last year, 28,050 Brazilian citizens obtained US permanent residency. This is the largest volume in history and a 16% increase compared to 24,169 issues in 2022 – the previous record.

Brazil is the 10th country with the most immigration benefits. The ranking is led by the following countries:

Countries that issued the most green cards in the US

1. Mexico (179 thousand)
2. India (76 thousand)
3. Cuba (74 thousand)
4. Dominican Republic (66 thousand)
5. China (58 thousand).

According to Leda Oliveira, CEO of Ag Immigration, the data reinforces the brain drain movement already observed in Brazil. “Over the past five years, the highest number of annual green cards issued to Brazilians has been recorded. This is a significant trend”, observes the executive who has lived in the US for 14 years.

According to Leda, the phenomenon of labor flight is explained by two main reasons: the labor shortage in the United States, which raises salaries and encourages the hiring of immigrants, and the political-economic stagnation in Brazil in the last decade, “which often creates a sense of hopelessness among people and does not create enough financial opportunities.

Green cards for Brazilians are divided between those issued based on immigrant kinship, meaning that the person has a family member who is already a permanent resident or citizen of the United States, and those issued based on employment. These are usually aimed at professionals who are going to work for an American company or move to the US to improve their careers, even without a job offer.