Department of State

Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration

Office of Admissions - Refugee Processing Center
Top Ten Refugee Native Languages
Fiscal Years 2008 through 2017 as of September 30, 2016

Arrivals
Rank

Native Language

FY 2008

FY 2009

FY 2010

FY 2011

FY 2012

FY 2013

FY 2014

FY 2015

FY 2016

Arabic

9,767

13,675

15,199

7,372

9,938

17,230

17,859

13,432

21,527

Nepali

5,302

13,450

12,355

14,993

15,114

9,164

8,484

5,790

5,840

Somali

2,402

3,879

4,787

3,057

4,763

7,295

8,449

8,318

8,204

Sgaw Karen

7,460

3,331

5,833

6,521

4,148

5,011

4,115

4,030

2,740

Spanish

4,247

4,831

4,951

2,976

2,076

4,430

4,305

2,046

1,338

Kiswahili

170

534

2,021

472

794

1,336

1,332

3,528

6,532

Chaldean

2,897

3,783

2,550

1,392

1,790

1,954

1,328

511

348

Burmese

3,769

2,040

1,414

1,290

1,146

1,523

1,066

2,036

1,341

Armenian

3,625

3,444

1,798

747

387

875

1,190

1,179

1,575

10

Other Minor Languages

1,788

1,913

1,667

673

1,006

1,276

1,124

1,206

1,415

Total

41,427

50,880

52,575

39,493

41,162

50,094

49,252

42,076

50,860

*Please note Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients who have elected and received U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) Reception and Placement (R&P) benefits are not included in this report.

Data extracted from the Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS).
RPC/rpt_PRM/Top Ten Refugee Native Languages
Report Run Date: 10/18/2016 12:58:13 PM

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Cumulative Total
125,999
90,492
51,154
43,189
31,200
16,719
16,553
15,625
14,820
12,068
417,819

Data extracted from the Worldwide Refugee Admissions Processing System (WRAPS).
RPC/rpt_PRM/Top Ten Refugee Native Languages
Report Run Date: 10/18/2016 12:58:13 PM

Page 2 of 2