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Spotlight on the Iranian Foreign Born
While recent news headlines focus on escalating tensions between Iran and the United States over Iran's nuclear energy program, less attention has been paid to the United States' Iranian-born population.
This spotlight focuses on the Iranian foreign born in the United States, examining the population's size, growth, and geographic distribution over the last three decades using data from the Census Bureau, the Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), and the US Department of State (DOS). OIS and DOS data were used to measure migratory flows while the census was utilized for stock data.
Note: All yearly data is for the government's fiscal year (October 1 through September 30).
Historical Background:
The Iranian foreign born are a relatively new population whose migration to the United States was concentrated around the years of the Islamic Revolution (1978-1979).
Between 1980 and 1990, the number of foreign born from Iran in the United States increased by 74 percent.
The number of Iranians granted lawful permanent residence peaked in 1990, with an estimated 24,977 Iranians admitted.
From 1980 to 2004, more than one out of every four Iranian immigrants was a refugee or asylee.
Statistical Overview of Iranian Foreign Born in the United States:
There were about 280,000 Iranian born in the United States in 2000.
Immigrants from Iran accounted for less than one percent of the total foreign-born population.
Between 1990 and 2000, the number of Iranian foreign born increased over 34 percent.
Over half of all Iranian immigrants lived in the state of California in 2000.
The metropolitan areas with the most Iranian immigrants were Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and the Washington, DC-Baltimore metropolitan area.
During 2005, 5,314 immigrant visas were issued to Iranians.
In the last five years, the most commonly issued nonimmigrant visas for Iranian nationals have been the student (F), temporary worker (H), and foreign government representative (G) visas.
Socioeconomic Overview of Foreign-Born Iranians in the United States:
Three in every five Iranian immigrants were naturalized US citizens.
Over 90 percent of the Iranian foreign born spoke a language other than English at home.
The majority of the Iranian born had a bachelor's degree or higher.
Nearly two-thirds of the Iranian foreign born participated in the labor force.
More than half of the Iranian immigrant population were employed in management, professional, and related occupations.
The self-employment rate of the Iranian foreign born was almost double the rate for the total foreign-born population.
In 2000, the median income for Iranian-born males and females who were full-time, year-round workers was $52,333 and $36,422, respectively.
Historical Background:
The Iranian foreign born are a relatively new population whose migration to the United States was concentrated around the years of the Islamic Revolution (1978-1979).
Iranian immigration can be conceptualized as two back-to-back waves before and after the revolution. The first wave, which started in the mid-1950s and continued until the start of the revolution, primarily consisted of college students, who were studying abroad in order to meet the needs of the rapidly industrializing oil-based Iranian economy, and families closely associated with the monarchy of Mohammad Reza Shah. An estimated population of 34,000 left during this first phase.
From the Islamic Revolution of 1978-1979 to the present, a second wave of emigration, primarily exiles, political refugees, and asylum seekers, took place. Approximately 330,000 came to the United States during this period.
The exiles were disproportionately members of religious and ethnic minorities, such as the Bahai'is, Jews, Armenians, and Assyrians.
Also in the second wave were young men who fled military service and the Iran-Iraq war, followed by young women and families who came for educational and political reasons.
Between 1980 and 1990, the number of foreign born from Iran in the United States increased by 74 percent.
The foreign-born population from Iran increased from 121,505 in 1980 to 210,941 in 1990, representing an increase of 73.6 percent.
The number of Iranians granted lawful permanent residence peaked in 1990, with an estimated 24,977 Iranians admitted.
According to the Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), from 1970 to 2004, 356,642 Iranian-born immigrants were admitted to the United States. The largest number entered in 1990 .
About 13 percent (47,977) entered between 1970 and 1980, while 43 percent (154,857) entered between 1981 and1990, and 32 percent (112,597) entered between 1991 and 2000. Just 41,211 immigrant visas were issued to the Iranian foreign born from 2001 through 2004
This spotlight focuses on the Iranian foreign born in the United States, examining the population's size, growth, and geographic distribution over the last three decades using data from the Census Bureau, the Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), and the US Department of State (DOS). OIS and DOS data were used to measure migratory flows while the census was utilized for stock data.
Note: All yearly data is for the government's fiscal year (October 1 through September 30).
Historical Background:
The Iranian foreign born are a relatively new population whose migration to the United States was concentrated around the years of the Islamic Revolution (1978-1979).
Between 1980 and 1990, the number of foreign born from Iran in the United States increased by 74 percent.
The number of Iranians granted lawful permanent residence peaked in 1990, with an estimated 24,977 Iranians admitted.
From 1980 to 2004, more than one out of every four Iranian immigrants was a refugee or asylee.
Statistical Overview of Iranian Foreign Born in the United States:
There were about 280,000 Iranian born in the United States in 2000.
Immigrants from Iran accounted for less than one percent of the total foreign-born population.
Between 1990 and 2000, the number of Iranian foreign born increased over 34 percent.
Over half of all Iranian immigrants lived in the state of California in 2000.
The metropolitan areas with the most Iranian immigrants were Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and the Washington, DC-Baltimore metropolitan area.
During 2005, 5,314 immigrant visas were issued to Iranians.
In the last five years, the most commonly issued nonimmigrant visas for Iranian nationals have been the student (F), temporary worker (H), and foreign government representative (G) visas.
Socioeconomic Overview of Foreign-Born Iranians in the United States:
Three in every five Iranian immigrants were naturalized US citizens.
Over 90 percent of the Iranian foreign born spoke a language other than English at home.
The majority of the Iranian born had a bachelor's degree or higher.
Nearly two-thirds of the Iranian foreign born participated in the labor force.
More than half of the Iranian immigrant population were employed in management, professional, and related occupations.
The self-employment rate of the Iranian foreign born was almost double the rate for the total foreign-born population.
In 2000, the median income for Iranian-born males and females who were full-time, year-round workers was $52,333 and $36,422, respectively.
Historical Background:
The Iranian foreign born are a relatively new population whose migration to the United States was concentrated around the years of the Islamic Revolution (1978-1979).
Iranian immigration can be conceptualized as two back-to-back waves before and after the revolution. The first wave, which started in the mid-1950s and continued until the start of the revolution, primarily consisted of college students, who were studying abroad in order to meet the needs of the rapidly industrializing oil-based Iranian economy, and families closely associated with the monarchy of Mohammad Reza Shah. An estimated population of 34,000 left during this first phase.
From the Islamic Revolution of 1978-1979 to the present, a second wave of emigration, primarily exiles, political refugees, and asylum seekers, took place. Approximately 330,000 came to the United States during this period.
The exiles were disproportionately members of religious and ethnic minorities, such as the Bahai'is, Jews, Armenians, and Assyrians.
Also in the second wave were young men who fled military service and the Iran-Iraq war, followed by young women and families who came for educational and political reasons.
Between 1980 and 1990, the number of foreign born from Iran in the United States increased by 74 percent.
The foreign-born population from Iran increased from 121,505 in 1980 to 210,941 in 1990, representing an increase of 73.6 percent.
The number of Iranians granted lawful permanent residence peaked in 1990, with an estimated 24,977 Iranians admitted.
According to the Office of Immigration Statistics (OIS), from 1970 to 2004, 356,642 Iranian-born immigrants were admitted to the United States. The largest number entered in 1990 .
About 13 percent (47,977) entered between 1970 and 1980, while 43 percent (154,857) entered between 1981 and1990, and 32 percent (112,597) entered between 1991 and 2000. Just 41,211 immigrant visas were issued to the Iranian foreign born from 2001 through 2004