As of November 2025, approximately 13.0 million lawful permanent residents (green-card holders) are employed within the United States — representing about 40 % of all legally authorized foreign labor on U.S. corporate payrolls!
When combined with other categories of non-citizen labor and enrollment, the total reaches ~32.3 million, consisting of:
- Offshore and remote foreign contractors: 14.0 million (43 %)
- Onshore employed green-card holders: 13.0 million (40 %)
- Humanitarian or refugee workers: 3.0 million (9 %)
- Temporary visa workers (H-1B, L-1, etc.): 1.2 million (4 %)
- Foreign students (F-1/J-1 with U.S. employment or internships): 1.1 million (3 %)
Together, these groups represent the full legal foreign labor and enrollment framework supporting U.S. corporations and universities — the same structure addressed in the OnShoringAmerica.com Framework for transparency and accountability.
(Sources: DHS OHS, BLS, MPI, SEVIS, BEA 2024–2025 workforce estimates.)
Exact data on green card holders employed by specific corporations is unavailable due to privacy laws and the absence of a consolidated, publicly accessible database. Each position occupied by a green card holder reduces job opportunities for a qualified U.S. citizens, particularly in competitive sectors!
A green card, or Permanent Resident Card, grants many of the same employment rights as citizens, though restrictions apply, such as ineligibility to vote or hold certain federal positions. International students on visas, such as F-1 visa holders, may work temporarily in the U.S. through programs like Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT). OPT allows up to 12 months of work authorization (with a possible 24-month extension for STEM fields), while CPT is tied to academic programs and requires enrollment in a related course.
These students are non-immigrants, distinct from permanent residents. International students contribute to the U.S. workforce, particularly in high-demand sectors. Their presence adds competition, displacing qualified U.S. citizens in entry-level or specialized roles. .
Technology professionals often pursue the following employment-based green card categories:
- EB-1: Includes EB-1A for individuals with extraordinary ability and EB-1B for outstanding professors or researchers.
- EB-2: For professionals with advanced degrees or exceptional ability, this category is common among tech workers with master’s degrees or higher.
- EB-3: Covers skilled workers, professionals, and others, including those with bachelor’s degrees or specific training, with similar backlog considerations for certain countries.
The U.S. government collects aggregate data on employment-based green cards through agencies like U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Labor (DOL), but it does not publish company-specific employment numbers for green card holders due to privacy and regulatory constraints.
Detailed data on employees with specific immigration statuses, including those with Form I-766 Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), is generally unavailable for the same reasons. EADs are issued to various groups, including green card applicants, asylees, and others with temporary work authorization.
For more information, consider these resources:
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS): Publishes annual reports and data on employment-based immigration, available at uscis.gov.
- Department of Labor (DOL): Oversees labor certifications (e.g., PERM for green cards) and publishes labor market trends at dol.gov.
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): Provides occupational employment data, including contributions from immigrants, at bls.gov.
- Corporate Reports: Some companies disclose workforce diversity or immigration data in annual reports or SEC filings, though such information is limited and not comprehensive.