The US is very commonly regarded as the hardest country in the world to get a work permit as a foreigner.

I had two to the US, and have had them for three other countries.

Work permits and immigrant visas are not the same thing, though they are overlapping categories.

Agree, and immigrant visas are harder than work permits

The only thing that proves is how badly misinformed and propagandized on the matter the common person is: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immigration_to_China