GoKawiilGallup: Share of Would-Be Migrants Naming U.S. as Top Destination Falls to 15%
Gallup's latest global survey finds that among adults worldwide who say they want to move permanently to another country, just 15% name the United States as their preferred destination, the lowest share in nearly two decades of polling. The figure peaked near 24% between 2007 and 2009 and has stayed at or below 18% since 2017. Canada remains the second most desired destination at 9%, a share that has held steady even as U.S. appeal declined.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The decline suggests the U.S. is losing some of its relative pull as a migration magnet even though it still ranks first worldwide, which could have long-term implications for the country's ability to attract skilled workers and labor. Gallup notes the data coincide with a sharp slowdown in actual migration into the U.S. amid policy changes, hinting that perception and policy may be reinforcing each other, though the survey itself does not establish causation.
- Only 15% of global would-be migrants now pick the U.S. as their top destination, a record low since Gallup began tracking in 2007.
- Canada holds steady as the second-most desired destination at 9%, unaffected by the U.S. decline.
- The drop coincides with a slowdown in actual U.S. immigration and shifting immigration policy, per Gallup.
Source: news.gallup.com — Gallup, 2026-10-16
Published there as: “Desire to Move Permanently to U.S. at New Low”
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