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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2009 Jan 2.
Published in final edited form as: Popul Res Policy Rev. 2004 Jun;23(3):187–218. doi: 10.1023/b:popu.0000034097.35915.e1

Table 2.

Characteristics of Immigrants Admitted in 1978-1987: Selected Countries

Ten Countries China India Korea Philippines Vietnam Jamaica Mexico Cuba Dominican Republic Colombia
Class of Admission
Family Sponsored
 1st Principal: Unmarried S/D of Citizen 2.3 0.9 0.1 0.3 5.6 0.3 2.8 4.3 0.6 1.7 0.8
 2nd Principal: Spouse of LPR 9.7 11.8 16.6 14.4 3.3 2.0 17.8 5.3 1.3 30.5 17.8
 2nd Principal: Child of LPR 10.0 12.7 9.5 14.0 15.5 1.4 16.8 4.0 1.8 23.9 10.6
 4th Principal: Married S/D of Citizen 1.5 4.0 0.4 0.7 1.2 0.2 2.9 1.8 1.8 0.8 1.0
 4th Derivative: Spouse of Married S/D of Citizen 1.2 3.4 0.4 0.6 1.0 0.1 1.8 1.5 1.3 0.4 0.6
 5th Principal: Sibling of Citizen 8.2 12.5 20.6 13.5 4.0 1.5 17.0 3.1 5.4 8.3 10.3
 5th Derivative: Spouse of Sibling of Citizen 4.5 8.4 12.0 9.4 2.6 0.5 5.0 1.9 3.0 1.9 3.6
Employment Sponsored
 3rd Principal: Professional 1.6 3.3 8.3 1.9 1.5 0.1 0.8 0.2 0.0 0.1 0.6
 3rd Derivative: Spouse of Professional 1.0 1.9 4.4 1.4 1.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.3
 6th Principal: Skilled or Special 2.1 3.7 2.4 2.5 3.4 0.1 5.4 1.3 0.2 0.5 3.6
 6th Derivative: Spouse of Skilled or Special 1.0 1.8 1.0 1.7 1.6 0.1 1.2 0.8 0.1 0.1 1.3
Exempt Immediate Relatives
 Principal: Spouse 24.2 7.9 7.0 21.2 31.0 1.0 19.0 53.9 2.4 22.7 34.4
 Principal: Parent 12.3 23.0 16.8 18.1 27.4 2.3 5.1 5.1 4.7 3.6 6.9
 Refugees, Asylees, and Others 20.5 4.8 0.6 0.4 0.5 90.3 3.9 16.7 77.5 5.6 8.3
N 1,938,744 187,377 172,757 197,358 306,363 216,561 114,180 416,725 131,753 125,096 70,574
Gender
 Males 48.1 46.0 51.6 38.5 37.4 55.3 46.4 56.8 51.8 48.4 42.6
 Females 51.9 54.0 48.4 61.5 62.6 44.7 53.6 43.2 48.2 51.6 57.4
N 1,843,378 176,969 166,664 190,238 293,960 184,809 109,866 403,429 128,466 121,209 67,768
Prior Nonimmigrant Experience
 No 72.3 80.9 81.6 85.2 78.7 24.3 80.5 87.0 23.2 87.6 73.6
 Yes 27.7 19.1 18.4 14.8 21.3 75.7 19.5 13.0 76.8 12.4 26.4
N 1,934,152 187,216 172,636 197,240 305,927 215,203 114,129 415,411 130,786 125,076 70,528
Marital Status
 Not Married 26.6 24.5 24.9 25.6 31.0 41.6 35.3 12.9 32.2 33.7 23.1
 Married 73.4 75.5 75.1 74.4 69.0 58.4 64.7 87.1 67.8 66.3 76.9
N 1,843,313 176,959 166,666 190,238 293,958 184,757 109,867 403,429 128,461 121,210 67,768
Age Groups
 21 To 29 39.4 24.9 42.1 42.2 31.6 46.9 35.2 51.5 16.2 46.1 41.0
 30 To 39 26.9 23.3 26.6 23.1 24.2 27.2 33.5 29.0 25.7 30.8 32.1
 40 To 49 13.1 15.2 11.0 12.9 11.2 13.2 16.3 10.2 23.4 13.2 13.5
 50 To 59 9.8 16.3 10.0 9.9 13.5 6.9 8.6 5.5 15.3 6.7 7.1
 60 To 69 7.5 14.7 7.7 8.8 13.9 3.9 4.2 2.7 11.0 2.5 4.3
 70 and above 3.3 5.7 2.6 3.2 5.6 2.0 2.2 1.2 8.4 0.7 2.0
N 1,938,744 187,377 172,757 197,358 306,363 216,561 114,180 416,725 131,753 125,096 70,574
Fiscal Year Cohorts
 1978 11.5 7.3 8.7 8.5 8.6 21.6 9.6 12.5 16.2 9.6 10.4
 1979 7.0 6.8 7.1 8.2 8.4 4.1 8.7 6.1 5.7 8.6 7.8
 1980 9.4 11.1 9.2 10.1 10.5 10.0 9.9 7.2 8.3 9.7 10.1
 1981 11.1 10.8 9.0 10.8 10.0 13.2 12.1 13.9 6.1 10.1 9.1
 1982 9.2 11.3 9.4 10.3 10.3 10.9 9.2 8.3 4.1 8.1 8.1
 1983 9.4 10.8 10.9 10.1 9.2 8.8 9.6 9.1 5.0 10.4 9.6
 1984 9.4 9.5 10.7 9.8 9.5 9.4 10.0 9.1 5.9 10.4 10.8
 1985 10.3 10.7 11.4 10.6 10.8 8.0 9.6 10.0 11.2 11.0 11.5
 1986 11.3 10.7 11.3 10.7 11.5 7.7 9.9 11.2 19.0 12.1 11.3
 1987 11.4 11.0 12.3 10.9 11.1 6.3 11.5 12.5 18.6 10.1 11.3
N 1,938,744 187,377 172,757 197,358 306,363 216,561 114,180 416,725 131,753 125,096 70,574