Caribbean nationals continue to lead the total of green card visa

Caribbean nationals from two regional nations continue to lead the total of green card visa or legal permanent residents in the United States, according to a latest report from the Department of Homeland Security.

The latest report shows that out of 12.6 million LPRs living in the United States on January 1, 2008 the Dominican Republic and Cuba were among the top ten countries for LPR`s. DHS statistics show there were 420,000 green card visa holders from the Dominican Republic who obtained their LPR status for 2008.

Cubans accounted for 350,000 for the same period. Haitians and Jamaicans, the only other Caribbean nations to make the top 20 list, were put at 230,000 each. Mexico was the leading country of origin of the LPR population in 2008. An estimated 3.4 million or 27 percent of LPRs came from Mexico. The next leading source country was the Philippines with 0.6 million, followed by India and the People`s Republic of China with 0.5 million each.

California was the leading state of residence with an estimated 3.4 million LPRs in 2008 followed by New York at 1.5 million, Texas at 1.3 million and Florida at 1.2 million. Nearly 76 percent of LPRs in the United States in 2008 obtained permanent residence in 1990. Fifty percent gained LPR status between 2000 and 2007, and 14 percent became LPRs before 1980.

[Source: Caribbean World News]