Statistics on migration to Europe

People living in the EU

Based on the latest statistics*, in 2024, there were

^{*For more detailed data, consult the Eurostat Database on Migration and Asylum.}

^{**This does not include those born in another Member State.}

Foreign-born residents per country

^{Source: Eurostat (2024),} OECD ^{(2023)
Note: non-EU born in case of the EU (i.e. those born in another Member State are not included); if intra-EU mobile people were included, the share would be 12.4%}

Reasons to stay in Europe

Residence permits by reason in the end of 2023

^{Source: Eurostat; “other” includes permits issued for the reason of residence only, permits issued to victims of trafficking of human beings and unaccompanied minors, as well as permits issued for all other reasons for which residence permits may be issued and which are not covered by the other categories}

Employment of immigrants

In 2024, 12.1 million non-EU citizens were employed in the EU labour market, out of 197.6 million people aged from 20 to 64, corresponding to 6% of the total.

Source: Eurostat

The employment rate in the EU in the working-age population (20-64) was higher for EU citizens (76.8%), than for non-EU citizens (64.2%) in 2023.

Fact to consider: Many non-EU citizens are "essential workers".

Over-represented sectors

In 2022, non-EU citizens were over-represented in some specific economic sectors such as:

Over-representation by occupation

In terms of occupations, non-EU citizens were over-represented among:

Under-represented sectors

Non-EU citizens were under-represented in other economic sectors, including:

Under-representation by occupation

On the other hand, non-EU citizens were under-represented among:

^{Source: Eurostat}

Refugees in Europe

Displaced people from Ukraine

Since Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine in February 2022, Europe has received the largest number of people fleeing war since World War II. For up-to-date details on the efforts to welcome people fleeing the war in Ukraine and to provide temporary protection, see the dedicated page Migration management: Welcoming refugees from Ukraine.

Overall situation

Based on UNHCR data, all around the world there are:

• 37.9 million refugees (figure as of mid-2024).
• 68.3 million internally displaced people (due to conflict and violence) (figure as of the end of 2023).

Fact to consider: At the end of 2021, less than 10% of all the world’s refugees and only a fraction of internally displaced people were living in the EU. By the end of 2022, as a result of the war in Ukraine, the share of refugees living in the EU increased to more than 20%. As of 2024, the share of refugees residing in the EU remained stable compared to 2022, standing at 20%.

The share of refugees in the EU in 2024 was 1.7% compared to its total population.

Number of refugees compared to total population

Several countries around the world host a large refugee population:

^{Source: UNHCR
Note: The graph shows the ten countries hosting the most refugees and the EU}

Fact to consider: The majority of refugees from Africa and Asia do not come to Europe, but rather move to neighbouring countries.

Migration to and from the EU

Based on the latest annual figures (2023)

^{Note: data for 2022}

While irregular migration is often in the spotlight, the reality is that irregular entries account for a small fraction of migration in the EU.

In 2023, over 3.7 million first residence permits were issued in the EU, compared to 3.6 million in 2022, exceeding numbers seen before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (3.0 million in 2019). The number of first permits issued by Germany, France and Poland slightly increased when compared to 2022. In 2023, there was an important increase in education-related (+14%) permits but the number of permits issued for family (+6%), and other reasons (+5%) also increased year-on-year.  In 2023, first permits were issued for the following reasons:

^{Source: Eurostat; “other” includes permits issued for the reason of residence only, permits issued to victims of trafficking of human beings and unaccompanied minors, as well as permits issued for all other reasons for which residence permits may be issued and which are not covered by the other categories}

Top 10 nationalities of first residence permits issued in EU Member States in 2023

^{Source: Eurostat}

Seeking asylum in Europe

First time asylum applicants by continent of origin (2024)

^{Source: Eurostat}

Top 15 nationalities of first time asylum applicants (2024)

^{Source: Eurostat}

In 2024, asylum seekers came from around 170 countries.

996,805 applications, including 911,940 first time applications, were lodged in the EU in 2024, a decrease of 12% in comparison to 2023.

A significant share of applicants come from visa-free countries (around 23% of asylum applicants in 2024, up from 22% in 2023, with a high number of applicants from Latin America) who enter the EU legally, mostly from:

^{Source: Eurostat}

In 2024, 252,300 people seeking asylum were under 18 years old – 15% of which (37,600) were unaccompanied minors. Most unaccompanied minors came from Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt and Somalia.

Most first-time applications were lodged in:

• Germany (229,695)
• Spain (164,010)
• Italy (151,120)
• France (130,860)
• Greece (68,995)

Relative to the population, in 2024, the highest number of first-time asylum applications was lodged in:

• Cyprus (730 per 100,000 inhabitants)
• Greece (660)
• Ireland (350)

Recognition of refugees

In 2024, EU countries issued 754,500 first instance asylum decisions. 51% of these decisions were positive:

• 164,900 people received refugee status,
• 155,500 people were granted subsidiary protection status,
• 67,300 people received humanitarian status.

In 2024, at least a further 165,500 final decisions were issued following an appeal, including:

• 20,700 decisions granting refugee status,
• 14,400 granting subsidiary protection status and
• 15,200 granting humanitarian status.

Overall, EU countries granted protection to around 438,000 people in 2024.

Effectiveness of the asylum system

• Fluctuating backlog
  At the end of 2024, 1,24 million people were subject of pending asylum applications - 9% more than the previous year.
• Varying processing times across Member States
  The ratio of pending cases and applications varies widely across Member States, reflecting the differences in processing time.

Number of pending applications compared to total number of applications in a given month

^{Source: Eurostat}

• Varying recognition rates across EU countries
  The EU’s asylum system is undermined due to significant differences in recognition rates across EU countries. For example, in 2024 the recognition rate of Afghan citizens at first instance (not including humanitarian status) ranged from 11% in Bulgaria to 98% in Greece (from those Member States that issued at least 100 first instance decisions to Afghan citizens).
• Dublin rules in practice
  In 2023, Member States reported 184,800 outgoing requests under the Dublin rules sent to other Member States and other countries participating in the Dublin system to take responsibility for examining an application for international protection. Out of 176,400 decisions on such requests, 130,800 (74%) were accepted and 16,900 outgoing transfers were executed, corresponding to 13% of accepted requests.

Resettlement

In 2024, about 14,000 people in need of international protection were resettled from non-EU countries to EU Member States, 1.7% less than in 2023 and 25% less than in 2022.

Syrian nationals accounted for 40% of the people resettled, while Afghan nationals accounted for 17%.

Under joint EU resettlement schemes, Member States reported more than 134,000 people found protection in the EU since 2015. In addition, since 2021, more than 53,000 people, mostly Afghans at risk, arrived to the EU via humanitarian admission. Member States receive support from the EU budget for resettlement and humanitarian admission.*

^{* These are not official Eurostat data}

Irregular border crossings

Overall figures

Irregular EU border crossings by nationality in 2024

Geographical distribution

Returns

Overall figures

The main countries of nationality of those ordered to leave the EU in 2024 were:

• Algeria (8%)
• Morocco (7%)
• Türkiye (6%)
• Syria (6%)
• Afghanistan (5%)

The main countries of nationality of those ordered to leave the EU in 2023 were:

• Morocco (8%)
• Algeria (8%)
• Afghanistan (6%)
• Syria (5%)
• Türkiye (5%)