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Work visas by president, 1997–2024
Work visas issued each year rose under presidents of both parties. Each president's yearly average was higher than the last one's, from 205,818 under Clinton to 717,411 under Biden. The two biggest H-1B cap increases, in 1998 and 2000, were passed by a Republican Congress and signed by a Democratic president.
Data: fiscal 1997–2024, State Department · Checked Nov 6, 2026
Average work visas issued per year
| Clinton (D), 1997–2000 | 205,818 |
|---|---|
| Bush (R), 2001–2008 | 324,157 |
| Obama (D), 2009–2016 | 380,084 |
| Trump (R), 2017–2020 | 548,899 |
| Biden (D), 2021–2024 | 717,411 |
Trump's first term averaged 577,525 a year in 2017–2019, before COVID-19 closed consulates. Fiscal 2026 so far, under President Trump's second term: certified work-visa positions up 11% on a year earlier.
Year by year
| FY | H-1B | H-2A | H-2B | L-1 | Other | Total | President | House | Senate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 219,659 | 315,328 | 139,541 | 71,799 | 42,132 | 788,459 | Biden (D) | R | D |
| 2023 | 265,777 | 310,676 | 131,704 | 76,671 | 59,371 | 844,199 | Biden (D) | R | D |
| 2022 | 206,002 | 298,336 | 124,644 | 72,958 | 59,570 | 761,510 | Biden (D) | D | D |
| 2021 | 61,569 | 257,898 | 95,053 | 24,863 | 36,092 | 475,475 | Biden (D) | D | D |
| 2020 | 124,983 | 213,394 | 61,865 | 35,942 | 26,836 | 463,020 | Trump (R) | D | R |
| 2019 | 188,123 | 204,801 | 97,623 | 76,988 | 46,475 | 614,010 | Trump (R) | D | R |
| 2018 | 179,660 | 196,409 | 83,774 | 74,388 | 41,746 | 575,977 | Trump (R) | R | R |
| 2017 | 179,049 | 161,583 | 83,600 | 78,178 | 40,178 | 542,588 | Trump (R) | R | R |
| 2016 | 180,057 | 134,368 | 84,627 | 79,306 | 37,589 | 515,947 | Obama (D) | R | R |
| 2015 | 172,748 | 108,144 | 69,684 | 78,537 | 33,536 | 462,649 | Obama (D) | R | R |
| 2014 | 161,369 | 89,274 | 68,102 | 71,513 | 29,275 | 419,533 | Obama (D) | R | D |
| 2013 | 153,223 | 74,192 | 57,600 | 66,700 | 26,424 | 378,139 | Obama (D) | R | D |
| 2012 | 135,530 | 65,345 | 50,009 | 62,430 | 21,900 | 335,214 | Obama (D) | R | D |
| 2011 | 129,134 | 55,384 | 50,826 | 70,728 | 16,763 | 322,835 | Obama (D) | R | D |
| 2010 | 117,409 | 55,921 | 47,403 | 74,719 | 14,575 | 310,027 | Obama (D) | D | D |
| 2009 | 110,367 | 60,112 | 44,847 | 64,696 | 16,304 | 296,326 | Obama (D) | D | D |
| 2008 | 129,464 | 64,404 | 94,304 | 84,078 | 17,455 | 389,705 | Bush (R) | D | D |
| 2007 | 154,053 | 50,791 | 60,227 | 84,532 | 14,955 | 364,558 | Bush (R) | D | D |
| 2006 | 135,421 | 37,149 | 71,687 | 72,613 | 12,291 | 329,161 | Bush (R) | R | R |
| 2005 | 124,099 | 31,892 | 87,492 | 65,458 | 8,893 | 317,834 | Bush (R) | R | R |
| 2004 | 138,965 | 31,774 | 76,169 | 62,700 | 7,417 | 317,025 | Bush (R) | R | R |
| 2003 | 107,196 | 29,882 | 78,955 | 57,245 | 6,549 | 279,827 | Bush (R) | R | R |
| 2002 | 118,352 | 31,538 | 62,591 | 57,721 | 6,725 | 276,927 | Bush (R) | R | D |
| 2001 | 161,643 | 31,523 | 58,215 | 59,384 | 7,453 | 318,218 | Bush (R) | R | R |
| 2000 | 133,290 | 30,201 | 45,037 | 54,963 | 7,372 | 270,863 | Clinton (D) | R | R |
| 1999 | 116,513 | 28,568 | 30,642 | 41,739 | 5,493 | 222,955 | Clinton (D) | R | R |
| 1998 | 91,360 | 22,676 | 20,192 | 38,307 | 4,552 | 177,087 | Clinton (D) | R | R |
| 1997 | 80,547 | 16,011 | 15,706 | 36,589 | 3,516 | 152,369 | Clinton (D) | R | R |
Other = O-1, TN, E-3 and H-1B1. These are visas issued abroad. They leave out people who change status inside the U.S. (most H-1B workers who studied here), extensions, and most TN workers, who are approved at the Canadian border. Fiscal years run October to September; party control is as of April of each year. Interactive chart on the home page.
Sources: State Department, Report of the Visa Office, nonimmigrant visas issued by classification, fiscal 1997–2024 (latest table). Congress control: CRS RL34752. Cap history: CRS RL30498.
What this doesn't show
- That any visa worker replaced any laid-off worker. No public data links the two.
- Hires. Certified positions and visas issued are steps before or around hiring, not head counts.
- Immigration status. “Foreign-born” includes naturalized citizens, green card holders and others.