(UNITED STATES) A new AP-NORC poll released in September 2025 shows a sharp rise in the share of Americans who think businesses gain from legal immigration, with 51% now saying access to skilled workers is a major benefit for companies—up 10 points from March 2024. The findings come as voters weigh economic concerns and as debates over visas and hiring continue to play out in the workplace and on the campaign trail.
The poll reports that 60% of U.S. adults believe legal immigrants help drive economic growth and fill skill gaps. Support for reducing legal immigration has fallen to its lowest level in recent years, with the drop especially notable among Republicans, according to the AP-NORC poll. While concerns about illegal immigration remain steady and more negative, views of legal immigration’s role in the economy have become more positive across age and party lines.
The shift is striking given the policy backdrop. Despite tougher steps taken by the Trump administration this year—most prominently a proposed $100,000 H-1B visa application fee and added screening for green card and student visa applicants—Americans are more likely to see the upside of hiring skilled workers from abroad. Business groups and technology companies, which have long argued that the U.S. needs high-skill talent to compete in a global market, say the poll confirms what they hear from employers facing shortages in engineering, data science, and health care.
Key poll findings
According to the AP-NORC poll:
- 51% of adults say expert talent from legal immigrants is a major benefit for American companies, up from 41% in March 2024.
- 60% say legal immigrants are major contributors to economic growth and help meet skilled workforce needs.
- 46% believe legal immigrants enrich American culture, an increase from last year.
- Americans are less likely than earlier in 2024 to say legal immigration should be reduced, with opposition dropping notably among Republicans.
- Slightly fewer than half of Americans now say current legal immigration levels should stay the same, while support for cuts has fallen to a multi-year low.
Partisan and demographic trends
The partisan gap remains, but it’s narrowing.
- Republicans are still more skeptical than Democrats, yet the share of Republicans favoring cuts to legal immigration has fallen from 45% in January to about 30% in September 2025.
- Democrats and younger adults show higher support for increasing legal immigration.
- Older adults and many Republicans lean toward keeping levels steady or reducing them.
The AP-NORC poll suggests a subtle realignment: even among groups more wary of higher inflows, there is growing agreement that legal immigrants—especially skilled workers—benefit the U.S. economy.
Policy context and industry response
The poll lands amid active lobbying by the technology sector and business coalitions that want easier access to high-skill visas. They argue that long wait times, tight annual caps, and strict rules make it hard to recruit globally.
- Employers and analysts warn that delays and unpredictability can push product launches overseas and shift research to other markets.
- Business groups say the poll confirms employer reports of shortages in engineering, data science, and health care.
At the same time, legal pathways remain complex:
- Employers seeking H-1B workers usually file Form I-129 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
- If a highly skilled worker already in the United States seeks permanent residence, the case could later move to Form I-485 for adjustment of status.
- For students entering on F-1 status, the State Department’s online nonimmigrant visa application is Form DS-160.
Official resources:
– USCIS H‑1B overview
– USCIS Form I‑485
– State Department Form DS‑160
The poll’s timing highlights a tension: public opinion is tilting more positive about legal immigration’s economic role even as new restrictions—especially the proposed $100,000 H-1B application fee—would raise hiring costs and could reduce filings from smaller firms and startups.
Business leaders warn a steep fee could:
– Discourage early-stage hiring.
– Hurt regional tech hubs and small firms.
– Shift talent flows to countries with faster, simpler recruitment streams (e.g., Canada 🇨🇦, the United Kingdom).
Immigration attorneys add that sudden cost increases could intensify that shift.
Practical implications for families, students, and employers
The poll’s findings underscore that legal immigration is an economic issue with everyday consequences:
- Health systems may depend on an H-1B physician or nurses on other legal statuses to open clinics.
- A midsize manufacturer may rely on an engineer transitioning from Optional Practical Training (OPT) to an H-1B role.
- Schools may depend on math teachers who first entered on student visas.
Employers and individuals should follow practical steps:
- Plan early and budget for filing costs.
- Track changing rules and USCIS timelines.
- Companies filing H-1B petitions should review the latest USCIS instructions and seek remedies if cases face delays.
- Families starting a green card process should check eligibility and documentation needs for Form I-485.
- Students completing Form DS-160 should verify program details and maintain status after arrival.
USCIS maintains program pages and form instructions that are regularly updated; businesses and families can start with the agency’s H-1B overview linked above for official guidance.
Broader implications and outlook
While politicians debate the size and shape of the system, the AP-NORC poll suggests steady movement toward recognizing the benefits of legal immigration to businesses and the broader economy. That shift may matter if Congress takes up visa reforms that have stalled for years.
- Lawmakers could face less pushback to measures that expand pathways for skilled workers or speed up processing.
- Unions and worker advocates will press for fair wages and strong labor standards to ensure hiring foreign talent does not undercut U.S. workers.
The data also hint at cultural change. The share who say legal immigrants enrich American culture ticked up to 46%, suggesting more Americans connect the presence of foreign-born neighbors and coworkers with a more dynamic society. This does not erase concerns about border management or illegal entries, but it shows a clearer distinction in the public mind between legal immigration and other challenges.
For now, the headline is simple: more Americans see legal immigration—and the skilled workers it brings—as part of the engine of growth. Whether that view leads to policy changes—under President Trump or a future administration—will depend on how Congress and the White House choose to balance hiring needs, costs, and border priorities.
This Article in a Nutshell
The September 2025 AP-NORC poll indicates a notable shift in U.S. public opinion: 51% of adults now view access to skilled legal immigrants as a major benefit for businesses, up ten points from March 2024. Sixty percent say legal immigrants contribute substantially to economic growth and fill critical workforce gaps. The change is evident across age groups and parties; Republican support for cutting legal immigration dropped from 45% to about 30% between January and September 2025. The findings arrive as the administration proposes stricter measures—most notably a proposed $100,000 H-1B application fee—that could raise hiring costs. Business groups warn higher fees and processing delays risk pushing companies and talent overseas, while lawmakers may face less public resistance to reforms that expand pathways for skilled workers. Practical implications include urging employers, students, and families to plan early, monitor USCIS guidance on forms like I-129, I-485, and DS-160, and budget for potential fee changes. The poll suggests growing public acceptance of legal immigration’s economic role, which could shape future policy discussions on visas and processing reforms.
