Updated May 2025 · USCIS quarterly data (2023)
Country Comparison · 2023Philippines vs Korea, South
Philippines had 36K immigration applications (rank #5) compared to Korea, South with 16K (rank #12). Philippines has a 82% approval rate while Korea, South has 75%. Philippines (36K applications) outpaces Korea, South (16K) by roughly 2.2x in raw volume — placing the two countries in different size bands of the U.S. immigration pipeline. Philippines sits in the large tier, while Korea, South is in the medium tier.
Verdict
Philippines had 36K immigration applications (rank #5) compared to Korea, South with 16K (rank #12). Philippines has a 82% approval rate while Korea, South has 75%.
Comparing Philippines and Korea, South on USCIS immigration data requires looking at three things: application volume, approval rate, and the mix of visa categories that applicants from each country tend to use. The per-country pages cover each axis in detail; the comparison below summarizes the highest-impact differences.
Country-specific quota dynamics, particularly for family-based and employment-based green cards, can produce very different actual timelines from the headline USCIS processing times. The State Department Visa Bulletin governs when an applicant from a backlogged country can move to the next stage; the headline USCIS processing-time data does not capture that priority-date wait.
Side-by-Side Snapshot
| Metric | Philippines | Korea, South |
|---|---|---|
| Total Applications | 36K | 16K |
| Approval Rate | 82% | 75% |
| Country Rank | #5 | #12 |
| Visa Categories | 5 | 5 |
How Philippines and Korea, South Compare on Volume
Philippines (36K applications) outpaces Korea, South (16K) by roughly 2.2x in raw volume — placing the two countries in different size bands of the U.S. immigration pipeline. Philippines sits in the large tier, while Korea, South is in the medium tier.
Philippines sits well above Korea, South in the overall application ranking — #5 versus #12 of 198 tracked countries. The gap is wide enough that the two origins occupy different tiers of the U.S. immigration pipeline; Philippines is among the largest sending countries while Korea, South sits further down the list. For broader context on long-run migration patterns by origin country, the DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics publishes annual flow data going back decades, and the U.S. Department of State publishes the monthly Visa Bulletin that governs visa availability under the per-country numerical caps in the Immigration and Nationality Act.
How They Compare on Approval Rate
Philippines has a moderately higher approval rate at 82% versus Korea, South at 75% — a 7-point spread. Differences this size usually reflect the visa-type mix: countries whose filings concentrate in higher-approval categories like family-sponsored petitions tend to score better than countries weighted toward lower-approval employment-based or asylum categories.
Approval rates are computed by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as approved cases divided by completed cases, excluding still-pending applications. Cross-country gaps usually trace to one of three factors: the visa-type mix (family-sponsored petitions approve at higher rates than employment-based or humanitarian filings), documentation patterns common to filings from a given origin, or eligibility-criteria gaps surfaced during background checks. None of these are policy choices specific to a country — USCIS adjudication standards are uniform across origins.
Top Visa Types
The two countries lean toward different visa categories: Philippines's top type is Employment 3rd Pref (16K filings), while Korea, South's is Employment 2nd Pref (4.5K). Different dominant categories indicate different migration drivers — for example, employment-heavy origins versus family-reunification-heavy origins, or origins where humanitarian filings dominate versus those concentrated in skilled-worker programs.
Philippines
Korea, South
How This Comparison Is Calculated
Application counts are aggregated from USCIS quarterly performance disclosures for fiscal year 2023, summing across all visa categories filed by beneficiaries from each country. Approval rate is computed as approved cases divided by completed cases (approvals plus denials), excluding still-pending applications. Country rank orders all 198 tracked sending countries by total applications, with #1 being the highest-volume origin. The DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics provides cross-checks against historical baselines. Read the full VisaTracker methodology for definitions, edge cases, and refresh cadence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Philippines have more applications than Korea, South?
Philippines (36K applications) outpaces Korea, South (16K) by roughly 2.2x in raw volume — placing the two countries in different size bands of the U.S. immigration pipeline. Philippines sits in the large tier, while Korea, South is in the medium tier. Differences this size usually reflect population, diaspora networks, and historical migration patterns rather than any policy distinction in how the two countries are treated. The U.S. State Department and DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics publish historical context on the long-run drivers of country-by-country volume.
Why are approval rates different between Philippines and Korea, South?
Philippines has a moderately higher approval rate at 82% versus Korea, South at 75% — a 7-point spread. Differences this size usually reflect the visa-type mix: countries whose filings concentrate in higher-approval categories like family-sponsored petitions tend to score better than countries weighted toward lower-approval employment-based or asylum categories. The composition of visa-type filings is the largest single driver: countries weighted toward family-sponsored or diversity-visa categories typically post higher approval rates than countries weighted toward employment-based, asylum, or refugee filings, where eligibility analysis is heavier.
What types of visas dominate Philippines and Korea, South filings?
The two countries lean toward different visa categories: Philippines's top type is Employment 3rd Pref (16K filings), while Korea, South's is Employment 2nd Pref (4.5K). Different dominant categories indicate different migration drivers — for example, employment-heavy origins versus family-reunification-heavy origins, or origins where humanitarian filings dominate versus those concentrated in skilled-worker programs. Reviewing each country's full visa-type distribution on its country profile gives a clearer picture of the underlying migration story.
Where does this comparison data come from?
Application counts and approval rates come from USCIS quarterly disclosure data, supplemented by the DHS Yearbook of Immigration Statistics published by the Office of Homeland Security Statistics. Both are public-domain U.S. government sources. This comparison aggregates filings by beneficiary country of birth or country of chargeability as reported in those datasets.
Is this comparison giving immigration advice?
No. This is general data analysis of public USCIS records, not legal advice. The comparison does not reflect individual case factors like beneficiary qualifications, priority dates, country-cap effects under the Immigration and Nationality Act, or the practical wait times specific to a particular visa category. For guidance on a specific case, consult an immigration attorney or an accredited representative recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice.
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Sources: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) quarterly performance data for fiscal year 2023; DHS Office of Homeland Security Statistics, Yearbook of Immigration Statistics; U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs. All inputs are public-domain U.S. government data.
Cite as: "VisaTracker, Philippines vs Korea, South comparison, May 2025. Data: USCIS quarterly performance reports, fiscal year 2023."