The actual numbers are smaller than many people assume

Immigrants do draw Social Security benefits, but the share is lower than the general population. The most recent data shows that noncitizens receive roughly 5 to 6 percent of all Social Security payments, even though immigrants make up a larger share of the U.S. population. This happens because Social Security requires a work history in the United States — typically at least 10 years of covered employment — before you can receive retirement or disability benefits.

The percentage varies by benefit type. Immigrants are more likely to receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a needs-based program for people over 65 or with disabilities, than they are to receive regular Social Security retirement benefits. But even in SSI, noncitizens represent a minority of recipients.

Key Takeaways

  • Noncitizens receive approximately 5 to 6 percent of all Social Security retirement and disability benefits paid out each year.
  • To receive Social Security retirement benefits, you must have worked in the United States for at least 10 years in jobs covered by Social Security.
  • Legal permanent residents and some other visa holders can receive benefits if they meet the work requirement, regardless of immigration status at the time they worked.
  • Undocumented immigrants who have paid Social Security taxes can receive benefits once they reach retirement age, though the process is complex.
  • The percentage of immigrants drawing benefits has remained relatively stable over the past two decades despite population growth.

Why the percentage is lower than expected

Social Security is not a needs-based program — it is an earned benefit tied to your work record. You must have paid Social Security taxes for a minimum number of quarters (three-month periods) to may have access to. For retirement benefits, you typically need 40 quarters of coverage, which usually means 10 years of work in jobs where your employer withheld Social Security taxes.

Many immigrants arrive as adults and have not yet accumulated 10 years of U.S. work history. Others work in jobs not covered by Social Security, such as certain agricultural or domestic work, or they work informally without tax withholding. These factors mean fewer immigrants meet the threshold to receive benefits, even if they have lived and worked in the United States for many years.

Additionally, immigrants who arrived more recently have not yet reached retirement age. Social Security retirement benefits typically begin at age 62 (with a reduced payment) or age 67 (with a full payment), depending on your birth year. The immigrant population skews younger on average than the native-born population, so fewer are in the age range where they would be drawing retirement benefits.

Who can receive benefits and what their status must be

Legal permanent residents (green card holders) can receive Social Security benefits if they meet the work requirement, regardless of their current immigration status. Once you have 40 quarters of covered work, you are may have access to to benefits at retirement age.

Undocumented immigrants who have paid Social Security taxes using an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or a Social Security number can receive retirement or disability benefits once they reach the age of may be able to access. The Social Security Administration does not verify immigration status when processing benefit claims. However, receiving benefits does not change your immigration status, and the process of claiming benefits while undocumented involves legal and practical complexities that vary by situation.

Temporary visa holders (such as H-1B workers) can receive benefits if they meet the work requirement, though they must be in a status that allows them to remain in the country to collect. Some visa categories do not permit long-term residence, which can complicate benefit collection.

Refugees and asylees are treated similarly to permanent residents for Social Security purposes once they have the required work history.

How the data is collected and what it shows

The Social Security Administration does not publish a single official figure for the percentage of immigrants receiving benefits. Instead, researchers and government agencies estimate this by comparing the number of noncitizens on the benefit rolls to the total number of beneficiaries. The estimates typically range from 5 to 6 percent of all Social Security retirement and disability payments.

This percentage has remained relatively stable over the past 20 years, even as the immigrant population has grown. That stability suggests the work-history requirement is the primary factor limiting immigrant benefit receipt, rather than policy changes or enforcement shifts.

Data on Supplemental Security Income (SSI) shows a higher proportion of noncitizens — roughly 10 to 12 percent of SSI recipients are noncitizens. SSI is a needs-based program with different rules: you do not need a work history to receive it, but you must have low income and resources. Elderly immigrants and immigrants with disabilities who do not have a work history may turn to SSI instead.

The difference between Social Security and SSI

Social Security retirement and disability benefits are based on your work record. You pay into the system through payroll taxes, and your benefit amount depends on how much you earned and how long you worked. Noncitizens receive about 5 to 6 percent of these benefits.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a separate, needs-based program for people over 65, blind, or disabled with low income. You do not need a work history to receive SSI. However, noncitizens have additional restrictions: you must be a legal permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or in certain other protected statuses to receive SSI. Undocumented immigrants cannot receive SSI. Because of these restrictions and the needs-based nature of the program, noncitizens represent a larger share of SSI recipients than they do of Social Security beneficiaries.

What happens to Social Security taxes paid by immigrants

When an immigrant works in a job covered by Social Security and their employer withholds Social Security taxes, that money goes into the Social Security Trust Fund just as it does for any other worker. If the immigrant does not later meet the 10-year work requirement — for example, because they return to their home country or work in uncovered jobs — those taxes are not refunded. Instead, they remain in the Trust Fund and support current beneficiaries.

This is true for any worker who does not meet the requirement, not just immigrants. A U.S. citizen who works for only five years and then leaves the workforce also does not receive a refund of their Social Security taxes.

If an immigrant does meet the 10-year requirement, they receive benefits based on their earnings record, just like any other worker. The amount is calculated the same way regardless of immigration status.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can an undocumented immigrant receive Social Security benefits?

Yes, if they have paid Social Security taxes and reach retirement age. The Social Security Administration does not verify immigration status when processing retirement or disability claims. However, receiving benefits does not change immigration status, and the process involves legal considerations that vary by individual situation.

Do immigrants have to be citizens to receive Social Security?

No. Legal permanent residents, refugees, asylees, and some other noncitizens can receive Social Security retirement and disability benefits if they have the required work history. Citizenship is not required.

How many years of work do you need to get Social Security as an immigrant?

The same as anyone else: 40 quarters of covered work, which typically means 10 years of employment in jobs where Social Security taxes were withheld. The work does not have to be consecutive, and it does not have to be recent.

What if I worked in another country before coming to the United States?

Work outside the United States generally does not count toward Social Security benefits. However, the United States has totalization agreements with some countries that allow you to combine work credits from both countries. You would need to contact the Social Security Administration to find out whether your home country has such an agreement.

Can legal permanent residents who are not yet citizens receive SSI?

Yes, legal permanent residents can receive Supplemental Security Income if they meet the age, disability, and income requirements. Other noncitizen statuses (refugees, asylees, certain trafficking victims) may also may have access to, but undocumented immigrants cannot receive SSI.