With nearly 50 million immigrants, the U.S. remains a top spot for immigrants. There are more immigrants in America than in any other country on the plant. This is no surprise, as there are many benefits to living in the United States and carrying an American passport. Here, we explore some of the reasons why America, long a land of migration, remains one of the most popular spots for those seeking a new beginning.
Four Advantages of Being an American
Access to Top Education
Americans are highly educated. The vast majority of American citizen’s hold a high school diploma and more than half have attended at least some college. Further, the number of college graduates in the U.S. continues to rise considerably each year. The United States has many great schools at all levels of education, though the country is especially dominant when it comes to higher education. Many of the very best schools in the world are in the United States. In fact, according to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for the 2015-2016 academic year, 14 of the top 20 educational institutions are based in the U.S. Even more striking is the fact that four of the top 20 are located in the state of California, those being:
- California Institute of Technology (CalTech) (#1)
- Stanford University (#3)
- University of California Berkeley (Berkeley)(#13)
- University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) (#16)
Standard of Living and Economic Opportunity
No doubt related to the quality of education, the United States also has one of the highest standards of living in the world. According to the World Bank, the American annual gross domestic product (GDP) per capita is more than $56,000. This is far above the global average of around $10,000. It is also noticeably higher than the economic output of other large highly developed countries such as Germany, Canada, Great Britain and Japan. This high level of economic output has led to a high standard of living across in the U.S. that goes far beyond simple finances. For example, consider the results produced by the the United Nations-sponsored Human Development Index (HDI). This ranking system tries try to measure the standard of living in countries around the globe looking at metrics that go beyond straightforward economic measures. In the year 2015, the U.S. ranked 8th in the HDI index, indicating a very high standard of living.
Currently, the U.S. is also experiencing relatively stable economic times and has a growing demand for labor. Indeed, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the American unemployment rate was 4.6 percent in November of 2016. This is the lowest the unemployment number has been in nearly a decade. It is also far below the average unemployment rate in Europe during the same period, which stands at nearly 10 percent. Beyond low unemployment, the U.S. is also a notoriously good spot for entrepreneurs. Investopedia ranks the United States as the 7th best country to do business and many of America’s finest entrepreneurs are immigrants. A recent study found that an incredible 40 percent of America’s largest companies were founded by immigrants or their children.
Space to Spread Out and Enjoy Natural Beauty
The United States is a large country and Americans live in large spaces. The average American home is more than 2,000 square feet. To put that figure into perspective, U.S. homes are nearly twice as big as homes in other developed countries such as Germany, France, Spain and Japan. There is a lot of space to spread out in the U.S. and there are also many natural wonders and a significant amount of beauty to enjoy. From the Grand Canyon, to Yellowstone National Park, the United States offers a seemingly endless variety of natural wonders.
A Diverse and Vibrant Culture
Finally, the United States also has one of the world’s richest and most diverse cultures. This is not surprising, after all, since America is a country founded by immigrants. It is a melting pot of different cultures and throughout the decades there have been continuous waves of migration bringing new life into American communities. There is no place that this is more true than in Southern California. Los Angeles holds the country’s largest immigrant population and the community is made up of a combination of cultures from all over the world.
We Help Immigrants in Los Angeles; Contact Us for Immigration Solution
At the Goldstein Immigration Lawyers, our team has extensive experience providing legal assistance to immigrants throughout Southern California, even those in the entertainment industry. If you or a family member is in need of legal help, please contact our office today to schedule your initial immigration consultation.
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