Half of 2025 U.S. Science Nobel Winners Are Immigrants, Report Finds

(UNITED STATES) Half of the U.S. winners of the 2025 Nobel Prize in the science fields were immigrants, according to new figures from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP). Out of six laureates in chemistry, medicine, and physics tied to the United States 🇺🇸 this year, 3 were foreign-born, underscoring the country’s long-standing reliance on global talent in labs and universities.

NFAP also reports that from 1901 to 2025, immigrants received 36% of all Nobel Prizes won by Americans in these three science categories, showing a steady pattern across generations.

What the numbers mean now

The 2025 Nobel outcomes arrive as research leaders warn that the U.S. share of international scholars could fall if visa bottlenecks and green card backlogs persist. The results tell a familiar story: the United States attracts top minds from abroad, and those minds drive discovery here.

These researchers:
– Publish influential papers
– Teach and mentor students
– Build teams that win global honors

NFAP’s historic tally—more than one-third of U.S. Nobel Prizes in science going to immigrants—illustrates how deep that impact runs.

Long-term trend and broader academic picture

This year’s count is simple and striking: 6 total U.S.-tied science laureates, 3 immigrants. Over the full period tracked by NFAP—more than a century of prizes—immigrants have won over one in three U.S. awards in chemistry, medicine, and physics.

When economics is included, the broader academic measure is similar: 35% of all U.S. academic Nobel Laureates have been immigrants. These figures reflect years of collaborative work, often led by mentors who came to the U.S. as graduate students and stayed to build labs.

According to analysis by VisaVerge.com, the continued presence of international students in U.S. Ph.D. programs—especially in fields like engineering, math, and computer science—supports this award record. Many winners began their U.S. journey on student visas, moved to postdoctoral roles, and later obtained long-term status. The pathway is rarely simple, but the outcomes strengthen the nation’s research base.

International competition and policy context

The NFAP trend also signals increased global competition. Other countries now offer faster residence paths to top researchers.

Examples:
– Canada 🇨🇦: special routes for science and tech workers
– Several European governments: residence permits aimed at researchers

U.S. universities still attract large numbers, but admissions offers mean less if the visa arrives too late or not at all.

Key policy implications

Experts tracking the Nobel record point to several steps the U.S. can take to keep its edge:
– Simplify visa steps for researchers
– Speed up work permit decisions
– Provide clearer paths to remain long term after graduation

The legal tools often already exist; what slows people down are time-consuming waits, backlogs, and unclear rules.

Common immigration routes used by top researchers

Here are the most common routes used by award-winning scientists and the teams they build:

1. O-1 (extraordinary ability)
   • For researchers with strong records; no numerical cap.
   • Can be extended in one-year blocks.
   • Official guidance: USCIS O‑1: Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement.
2. EB-1A (extraordinary ability, permanent residence)
   • Permanent residence path for top researchers showing sustained acclaim.
   • Self-petition is allowed, useful for scientists not relying on an employer.
3. National Interest Waiver (NIW)
   • For those whose work has broad national importance.
   • Can waive job offer and labor certification steps to speed a green card.

If an employer sponsors a researcher, the process often starts with a petition:
– Temporary status filings typically use Form I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker).
– Permanent residence categories like EB-1A, EB-1B (outstanding professor or researcher), or EB-2 with NIW use Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker).

Official forms:
– Form I-129: USCIS Form I‑129
– Form I-140: USCIS Form I‑140

Practical risks and steps for institutions

For many labs, time is the biggest risk. Delays can derail projects, separate families, and misalign with university hiring cycles—pushing scholars to other countries.

Practical steps employers and universities can take:
– Start visa planning at the job offer stage; do not wait for arrival.
– Map a multi-year plan: student/postdoc → stable work visa → green card.
– Keep evidence organized: citations, grants, patents, media coverage, expert letters, peer review records.
– Budget for premium processing when available to reduce delays.

Broader benefits and human realities

For policymakers, NFAP’s numbers suggest keeping the U.S. open to top scientists is more than prestige. Nobel-quality work often leads to:
– Medical treatments
– Energy advances
– New tools and technologies with wide economic impact

When international researchers settle here, they:
– Train local students
– Build companies
– File patents that support jobs beyond campus

Behind every award is a family that moved across borders, a spouse who changed careers, and children who adapted to new schools. Many immigrant scientists say stable status—and the ability to travel without fear of being stuck abroad—enabled them to take big research risks.

The 2025 Nobel Prize results, with half of U.S. science winners being immigrants, align with those personal stories.

Final takeaway

NFAP’s long view—36% of U.S. Nobel Prizes in chemistry, medicine, and physics from 1901 to 2025 won by immigrants—is not a one-year phenomenon. It reflects decades of collaboration between local and global talent.

If visa processes keep pace with the speed of research, the United States 🇺🇸 is well placed to continue that record. If they do not, the next great discovery may happen somewhere else first.