The shift has been building for more than a decade and experts say it's bringing more highly skilled immigrants here.

Some Republican presidential candidates have proposed a heavier focus on employment-based migration, which could accelerate traditionally slow changes to the country's ever-evolving face of immigration.

Siddharth Jaganath (SID'-ahrth JAG'-uh-nath) is an example of the new trend in immigration.

He came to the US to earn his master's degree at Southern Methodist University. Instead of returning to India, he built a new life in the US and is a manager at a communications technology company.