Figure R

There were 1.4 million work permits issued to asylum-seekers in 2024: Employment authorization document approvals for asylum-seekers and asylees, fiscal years 2003–2024

Year Granted asylum (asylee) Applicant for asylum (asylum-seeker) Total (asylum-seekers + asylees)
2003 109,303 368 109,671
2004 124,925 204,857 329,782
2005 107,019 688,335 795,354
2006 72,985 115,828 188,813
2007 71,584 82,352 153,936
2008 43,245 63,919 107,164
2009 52,364 54,794 107,158
2010 49,236 47,878 97,114
2011 39,027 47,239 86,266
2012 43,101 54,828 97,929
2013 40,378 59,641 100,019
2014 36,172 92,222 128,394
2015 41,048 150,186 191,234
2016 34,238 269,482 303,720
2017 35,313 403,268 438,581
2018 49,415 344,973 394,388
2019 49,111 436,271 485,382
2020 49,312 447,962 497,274
2021 31,649 330,108 361,757
2022 62,098 439,057 501,155
2023 45,666 1,064,783 1,110,449
2024 91,045 1,438,476 1,529,521
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Economic Policy Institute

Note: Totals reflect both new Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) and renewals. Number of approved EADs in each fiscal year does not necessarily reflect the number of asylum grantees and applicants who are employed or who have a valid EAD because some EADs are valid for longer than one year, and asylum grantees are eligible to adjust to lawful permanent resident status, after which they no longer require an EAD to work.

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization, All Receipts, Approvals, Denials Grouped by Eligibility Category and Filing Type,” fiscal years 2003–2024. Employment authorization categories included are A054, “Granted asylum Sec. 208” and C085, “Applicant for asylum/pending asylum app.” Available from USCIS Data Library, see “Immigration and Citizenship Data” page. Data also on file with author.

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