The Top Five Reasons to Immigrate to the US in 2024

No matter where you're from in the world, you probably know a lot about the United States of America. ―

With its undeniable impact on global culture in the modern world, the US isn't only renowned for its natural splendor (where it boasts the Grand Canyon of Nevada, the Everglades of Florida, and everything in between) but also for offering a good quality of life, the world's largest economy, boundless innovation, and so much of the music, TV shows, and movies enjoyed around the globe.

Because of all this and so much more, it should come as no surprise that the US is the draw for some 600 thousand new arrivals each year. In this article, we go over the top five reasons why people immigrate to the US according to our in-depth immigration research — as well as how you could get started in your migration journey yourself!

Reason 1 — Economic Opportunity

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There's no denying that America is seen as a place of opportunity for many people across the world.

Not only is it the largest economy in the world by GDP, but the US has traditionally been home to a vibrant labor market, a very large number of private businesses (around six million, to be exact), and a high degree of income mobility. In turn, this means that many immigrants and newcomers have been able to pick up work soon after arriving in the country and, over time, gradually increase their skills and earnings. This alone is one of the most compelling reasons why people choose to immigrate to the US — past and present.

This economic opportunity is reflected on an empirical level too. For example, the US:

• Ranks 3rd in the world in terms of investor attractiveness.
• Has had unemployment averaging at only 5.76% from 1948 to 2022.
• Has an average monthly salary of $3,612 after taxes.

Reason 2 — Quality of Life

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While it's certainly not the same for everybody at every time, living in the US is by and large associated with a high level of comfort, health, and happiness across the board.

For example, according to Numbeo, the US ranked 15th in the globe in terms of quality of life in 2021. This number is determined by surveying people from across the country on factors as diverse as housing affordability, cost of living, commute time, pollution, crime, health, purchasing power, recreation, employment, and more. This is backed up by the World Happiness Report, where the US ranked as the 19th happiest country globally between 2018 and 2020 on average.

Conveniently for many immigrants, the US is also an English-speaking country, making it accessible to a large number of people who already speak it as a foreign language around the globe.

What's more — unlike many countries around the world — the US is made up of many states, each of which functions a bit like a country in and of itself. Because states vary in their laws, new arrivals can decide to move to Oregon to pay no sales tax, for example, or to New Hampshire to pay no income tax. In turn, this gives immigrants more options to choose from when trying to settle somewhere or find work.

Reason 3 — Natural Splendor

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The environment in the US is very unique and exceedingly diverse. Due to the large size of the country (nearly 10 million km²), the US is home to a wide array of natural scenery. From the dense mangroves of Florida to the wide grasslands of Montana, and from the deserts of Nevada to the colorful forests of New England, the US boasts some of the richest and most varied natural geographies on the globe.

There's something for everybody. For those interested in hiking, skiing, snowboarding, or mountaineering, the US is home to many mountains and ranges including the Rockies in the east, the Appalachians in the west, and many peaks, hills, and massifs in between. For those more interested in relaxing on the beach, Florida and California offer a lot of options, but Hawaii generally takes the cake for being America's top tropical beach destination. For those who like camping or walking through the woods, the US is home to incredible forests such as the soaring redwood forests of California and Maine's Acadia National Park.

And that's not even to mention spectacles such as the Grand Canyon, Yosemite and Yellowstone National Parks, and Niagara Falls — all of which attract millions of visitors every year for their magnificence.

Reason 4 — Ease of Naturalization

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Here, we're not referring to the process of immigrating to the US, obtaining a Green Card, or legally getting yourself set up in the country (all of which many people find difficult and frustrating). Instead, we're talking about obtaining citizenship once all of that is done and dusted.

If you're a resident in the US, the path will probably be open to you to become a citizen — regardless of your country of origin, ethnic background, whether or not you have another passport or your personal beliefs. This makes the country quite unique in and of itself.

Not only is naturalization and acquiring citizenship in the US open to foreigners, but the process is not as difficult as it is in many other countries. To become a US citizen, you'll only need to be a lawful permanent resident (LPR) for at least five years, be 18 years or older, write and speak basic English, and several other smaller requirements.

Once you have a US passport, you'll find it to be a very valuable piece of paper! The American passport is one of the strongest passports in the world, and holding one will give you visa-free access to 186 countries around the globe (that's almost every country, practically speaking).

Reason 5 — Reuniting With Family

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For those who have close family living in the US, moving to be closer to them is often the main reason to immigrate to the US.

In a nutshell, family reunification is the legal process by which the overseas families of immigrants, citizens, or residents are granted the right to move to and reside in a given country to be nearer to their family there.

Having been a major part of US immigration law since 1974, family reunification is possible for families of US citizens and Green Card holders — so long as they are close family members, such as children, spouses, or parents. As of 2022, it's not possible for people considered non-immediate family members to apply for family reunification in the US, meaning in these cases, family members will need to apply the conventional way (more on this below).

Interested in Immigrating to the US? Here's Where to Start

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If you're wondering out the main reasons for immigration to America because you're interested in starting the journey yourself, you'll need to consider your options closely. Immigrating to the US can be difficult if you don't already have a close familial tie to the country, and many people spend many years and thousands of dollars just to see some meaningful progress in their visa application process.

How to Get a Green Card

First and foremost, immigrating to the US requires a visa to be sponsored on your behalf. In most cases, this will be an immigrant visa (also known as a 'Green Card'), which will allow you to become a permanent resident of the US. Each year, the US government distributes Green Cards to applicants on the basis of factors such as:

• Whether the applicant has employment or investments in the US;
• Whether the applicant fulfils diversity quotas;
• Whether the applicant is a former US government employee abroad
• (As discussed) whether the applicant has family in the US;
• and many other factors.

If you're looking for a legal platform to get advice and help get your paperwork in order to immigrate to the US, you can consider online services like CitizenPath. Various companies have immigration specialists (many of whom have gone through the process themselves in addition to their years of legal experience) that can help smoothen out the process and help you through every step of the paperwork and application process.

This could be useful if you want to get sponsored for a Green Card application, help a relative to apply, or are interested in any other type of visa.

On the other hand, if you're simply looking to speedily apply for a visa for a holiday to the US, we recommend using iVisa instead. One of the world's top travel visa application platforms, iVisa specializes in applying for and delivering visas for trips to the US (and other countries) from almost all countries across the world.