It has been noted that every year only around 6.5% of non-immigrants obtain green cards under Employment-based categories. According to the obtained statistics from sources like abcnews, we see that a total of 1,062,040 people received green cards in fiscal year 2011. Here is a pie chart by H1BWiki detailing the figures on green card break outs for that corresponding year:

Break Out Percentages:

1,062,040: Total Number of candidates who received green card for fiscal year 2011

43% (453,158): Immediate Relatives of U.S. citizens like parents, spouses and children.

22% (234,931): Family-sponsored: Siblings of U.S. citizens and spouses, kids of green card holders.

13% (139,339): Employment-Based: Those candidates and their corresponding family members filing under employment-based categories.

It is important to note that among 13% also includes family members filing jointly with the workers filing on employment-based preference. So, only around 6.5% people actually get green cards on employment-based categories.

11% (113,045): Refugees: Those fleeing their home country for fear of serious harm.

5% (57,349): Asylees: People already in U.S. or at port of entry and qualify to be refugees, children born abroad to U.S. legal immigrant residents and others.

4% (50,103): Diversity Visas: Those who receive green cards winning the annual lottery conducted by the U.S immigration system.

1% (7,430): Cancellation of removal: Those who have been residing in U.S. for a long time and are under deportation proceedings.

1%(6,527): Others

Having the statistics here, it looks like the number of green cards obtained in the employment based category each year is very low. Among the 13% of green cards obtained in the employment-based category, only around 6.5% of those are workers and the other percentage accounting to the family members filing along.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) spoke to the Wall Street Journal and quoted:

I’m a big believer in family-based immigration. But I don’t think that in the 21st century we can continue to have an immigration system where only 6.5 percent of people who come here, come here based on labor and skill. We have to move toward merit and skill-based immigration.

The complete details of the statistics provided by the DHS (Department of Homeland Security) can be viewed here. Please check page 18 for detailed statistics from year 2002 to 2011.