What is a quota system in immigration policy?

• A. Systems to limit the foreign-born population originally set at 3%, lowered to 2%
• B. A system to determine where immigrants can settle
• C. A policy to promote multilingual education
• D. A ban on all immigration

Answer: (A)

A quota system in immigration policy is a cap on how many people can be admitted in a given period, often set as a specific number or a percentage and sometimes divided by country of origin. The example describes a system that sets a limit originally at 3% and later lowered to 2%, which illustrates the core idea of numeric ceilings on new arrivals. This approach governs how many immigrants can enter, rather than where they will live once here, what language education they receive, or an outright ban on all immigration. The other options describe settlement location decisions, education policy, or a total prohibition, none of which capture the idea of limiting arrivals by a numeric cap.