Refugee Health Statistics

Updated 4/2022

The Refugee and International Health Program maintains a surveillance system to monitor disease trends among newly arriving refugees. The data and summary reports are used to:

• Develop health interventions, research studies and targeted community health education for refugees
• Assess health disparities, service gaps and resource needs in refugee populations
• Evaluate and revise refugee screening and data collection protocols, and provide resources for health professionals
• Build strong relationships with partners including counties that screen refugees, public and private clinics, and resettlement agencies (VOLAGS).

On this page:
eSHARE - Electronic System for Health Assessment of Refugees
Primary Refugees
Secondary Refugees
Health screening data
Minnesota Refugee Health Report
Additional resources for refugee statistics

eSHARE - Electronic System for Health Assessment of Refugees

The Electronic System for Health Assessment of Refugees, or eSHARE, is a Web-based application developed by the MDH Refugee Health Program (RHP) for collecting demographic information and domestic health screening results to conduct surveillance activities. eSHARE permits data entry from remote sites.

If interested in using or obtaining eSHARE, visit the eSHARE Web page which includes frequently asked questions and an informational flyer.

Primary Refugees

Primary refugees are refugees who are initially resettled in Minnesota. Refugees include refugees, asylees, entrants/parolees, victim of trafficking and Amerasians.

Primary Refugee Arrival Data

• Primary Refugee Arrivals to Minnesota by Initial County of Resettlement and Country of Origin, 2020 (PDF) Updated 4/2022
  • 2019 (PDF)
  • 2018 (PDF)
  • 2017 (PDF)
  • 2016 (PDF)
  • 2015 (PDF)
  • 2014 (PDF)
  • 2013 (PDF)
  • 2012 (PDF)
  • 2011 (PDF 
• Cumulative Arrivals, 1979-2020 (PDF) Updated 4/2022

Secondary Refugees

Secondary refugees are refugees who originally resettled to another state in the United States before moving to Minnesota.

Currently, there is no systematic way to identify all secondary refugees migrating to Minnesota. The Refugee Health Program is generally notified of secondary refugee arrivals by local public health, clinics, or resettlement agencies that have partnered with the program on the "Secondary Refugee Project" to assist with linkage to care.

Only secondary refugee notifications made to the Refugee Health Program are included in these arrival data summaries.

Secondary Refugee Arrival Data Updated 4/2022

• Map of 2020 Secondary Refugee Notifications to Minnesota (PDF)
• Secondary Refugee Arrivals to Minnesota by County of Resettlement and Country of Origin, 2020 (PDF)
• Secondary Refugee Arrivals to Minnesota by Initial State of Resettlement and Time Between U.S. Arrival and Notification, 2020 (PDF)

Health Screening Data

• Primary Refugee Arrival Health Screening Data, 2020 (PDF) | (PPT)
  Updated 4/2022
  • 2019 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2018 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2017 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2016 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2015 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2014 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2013 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2012 (PDF) | (PPT)
  • 2011 (PDF) | (PPT)

Minnesota Refugee Health Report

This annual report describes the demographics of primary refugee arrivals to Minnesota and provides a summary of the health screening indicators and outcomes.

• Minnesota Refugee Health Report 2020 (PDF) Updated 4/2022
  • 2019 (PDF)
  • 2018 (PDF)
  • 2017 (PDF)
  • 2016 (PDF)
  • 2015 (PDF)
  • 2014 (PDF)
  • 2013 (PDF)
  • 2012 (PDF)
  • 2011 (PDF)

Additional Resources for Refugee Statistics

• Minnesota State Demographic Center
  A data-driven site offering detailed statistics on immigration trends, language demographics, and more for the state of Minnesota.
• U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration: Admissions & Arrivals
  Data from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration’s Refugee Processing Center on refugee arrivals by country of origin and state of initial resettlement. This portal allows interactive data searching and reporting.
• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Figures at a Glance
  Provides data, trends, and statistical reports on refugees, asylum-seekers, returned refugees, internally displaced, and stateless persons in more than 150 countries.
• Migration Information Source
  Global analysis of international migration and refugee trends from the Migration Policy Institute. Includes a searchable database on the U.S. foreign-born population by state.