Statistics on migration to Europe

People living in the EU in 2023

Based on the latest statistics*, there are

^{*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 (2022),} OECD ^{(2021)
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%}

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}

In 2023, 11.2 million non-EU citizens were employed in the EU labour market, out of 196.8 million people aged from 20 to 64, corresponding to 5.7% of the total.

Source: Eurostat

The employment rate in the EU in the working-age population (20-64) was higher for EU citizens (76.2%), than for non-EU citizens (63.1%) in 2022.

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 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 data from UNHCR, all around the world at the end of 2023 there were:

• 37.6 million refugees
• 68.3 million internally displaced people (due to conflict and violence).

The share of refugees in the EU was 1.5% 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}

Based on the latest annual figures (2022)

^{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 2022

^{Source: Eurostat}

First time asylum applicants by continent of origin (2023)

^{Source: Eurostat}

Top 15 nationalities of first time asylum applicants (2023)

^{Source: Eurostat}

In 2023, asylum seekers came from close to 150 extra-EU27 countries.

1,130,300 applications, including 1,049,000 first time applications, were lodged in the EU in 2023, an increase of 18% in comparison to 2022, and of 62% compared to 2019, before COVID-19.

A significant share of applicants come from visa-free countries (21% of asylum applicants in 2023, down from 22% in 2022, with a high number of applicants from Latin America) who enter the EU legally, mostly from:

• Venezuela (6% of all applications)
• Colombia (6%)
• Georgia (2%)
• Peru (2%)
• Ukraine (1%)

First time asylum applications per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023:

^{Source: Eurostat}

In 2023, 271,700 people seeking asylum were under 18 years old – almost one out of seven (40,400) were unaccompanied minors. Most unaccompanied minors came from Syria, Afghanistan and Somalia.

In January-July 2024, around 589,900 applications, including 540,300 first time applications, were lodged in the EU, a decrease of 2% in comparison to the same period in 2023.

In January-July 2024, most first-time applications were lodged in:

• Germany (139,900)
• Spain (99,000)
• Italy (94,600)
• France (75,700)
• Greece (33,000)

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

• Cyprus (552 per 100,000 inhabitants)
• Greece (317)
• Ireland (233)

Recognition of refugees

In 2023, EU countries issued 677,600 first instance asylum decisions. 53% of these decisions were positive:

• 152,000 people received refugee status,
• 130,700 were granted subsidiary protection status, 
• 76,200 received humanitarian status.

In 2023, at least a further 191,500 final decisions were issued following an appeal, including:

• 23,500 decisions granting refugee status,
• 12,800 granting subsidiary protection status and
• 14,900 granting humanitarian status.

Overall, EU countries granted protection to at least 409,500 people in 2023.

In the first half of 2024, EU countries issued 374,700 first instance asylum decisions. 53% of these decisions were positive:

• 85,900 people received refugee status,
• 80,300 were granted subsidiary protection status, 
• 31,400 received humanitarian status.

Effectiveness of the asylum system

• Fluctuating backlog
  At the end of 2023, 883,000 asylum applications were pending - 39% more than the previous year, and double that of the period between 2017-2021.
• Varying processing times across Member States
  The ratio of pending cases and applications varies widely across Member States, reflecting the differences in processing time. According to the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA) data, at the end of 2023, 49% of the cases pending at first instance had been pending for more than six months.

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 2023 the recognition rate of Afghan citizens at first instance (not including humanitarian status) ranged from 13% in Bulgaria to 99% in Ireland (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 2023, around 14,000 people in need of international protection were resettled from non-EU countries to EU Member States, 24% less than in 2022 and 41% less than in 2021.

Syrian nationals accounted for 55% of the people resettled. 

Under joint EU resettlement schemes, more than 127,000 people found protection in the EU since 2015. In addition, since 2021, more than 51,000 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.

Overall figures

Irregular EU border crossings by nationality in 2023

^{Source: Frontex}

January-July 2024:

This figure includes:

2023:

This figure includes:

Geographical distribution

January-July 2024

• In 2024 until July, there was an increase in crossings on the Eastern Mediterranean route (+67%, 31,400), the Atlantic route (+153%, 21,500) and the Eastern borders route (+210%, 9,800) compared to the same period in 2023.
• At the same time, there was a decrease in crossings on the Central Mediterranean route (-62%, 33,600) and the Western Balkans route (-75%, 12,200) compared to the same period in 2023.
• Crossings along the Western Mediterranean route (+0%, 7,700) remained stable.
• 1,585 people were reported dead or missing in January-September 2024 on the three Mediterranean routes, compared to 3,105 in 2023 as a whole.

2023

• In 2023 there was an increase in crossings on the Central Mediterranean route (+54%, 162,700), the Atlantic and Western Mediterranean routes (+157%, 39,700 and +12%, 16,900, respectively) and the Eastern Mediterranean route (+57%, 60,800) compared to 2022.
• At the same time, there was a decrease in crossings on the Western Balkan route (-31%, 99,000) and the Eastern borders route (-10%, 5,700) compared to 2022.
• 29% increase of deaths at sea: 3,105 people were reported dead or missing in 2023 on the three Mediterranean routes, compared to 2,411 in 2022.

2022

• Increase in crossings on the Central Mediterranean (+56%, 105,600), the Eastern Mediterranean(+113%, 43,900) and the Western Balkan routes (+134%, 144,100) compared to 2021.
• Decrease in crossings on the Western Mediterranean (including the Atlantic route from Western Africa to the Canary Islands) (-25%, 30,600) and the Eastern borders routes (-22%, 6,300) compared to 2021.
• 18% increase of deaths at sea: 2,411 people were reported dead or missing in 2022 on the three Mediterranean routes, compared to 2,047 in 2021.

Overall figures

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

• Algeria (7.1%)
• Morocco (6.6%)
• Türkiye (6.3%)
• Syria (5.5%)
• Afghanistan (5.2%)

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

• Morocco (8.1%)
• Algeria (7.5%)
• Afghanistan (5.5%)
• Syria (5.0%)
• Türkiye (4.8%)

Effectiveness of the return system

In the first half of 2024, 48,250 non-EU citizens were returned to a non-EU country *. This corresponds to 24% of all return decisions issued during the first half of the year, increasing from 19% in 2023.

Among the main countries of origin of those returned from the EU in the first half of 2024 were:

• Georgia (10.4%)
• Albania (7.8%)
• Türkiye (6.8%)
• Algeria (3.9%)
• Moldova (3.7%)

In 2023, 83,400 non-EU citizens were returned to a non-EU country. This corresponds to 19% of all return decisions issued during the year, increasing from 17% in 2022.

Among the main countries of origin of those returned from the EU in 2023 were:

• Georgia (12.0%)
• Albania (9.3%)
• Türkiye (6.6%)
• Moldova (4.3%)
• Serbia (3.9%)

Among the nationalities with at least 5,000 return orders, the return rate was particularly low for those coming from:

• Syria (3%)
• Democratic Republic of the Congo (3%)
• Afghanistan (4%)
• Guinea (5%)
• Morocco (8%)

In 2023, the share of voluntary and forced returns was 46-54%. 75% of the returns were assisted returns - the people returned received logistical, financial and/ or other material assistance.

(*missing data for Spain and Lithuania for April-June 2024)

In 2023, over 1,700 Member States' consulates received 10.3 million short stay visa applications lodged by non-EU citizens, up from 7.6 million in 2022.

In total, 8.5 million short stay visas were issued and 1.6 million were refused, amounting to an EU-wide refusal rate of 16% (down from 17.9% in 2022).

Most applications were lodged in:

• China (1,117,365)
• Türkiye (1,055,855)
• India (966,687)
• Morocco (591,401)
• Russia (520,387)

Most visa applications were processed by:

• France (2,625,846)
• Germany (1,459,560)
• Spain (1,413,222)
• Italy (1,108,035)
• Netherlands (669,291)

58% of all visas were issued for multiple entries. Short stay visas cover travel throughout the 26 Schengen countries for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

The Atlas on Migration of the European Commission’s Knowledge Centre on Migration and Demography is an interactive resource of harmonised, up-to-date and validated data on the status of migration and demography in 27 EU Member States and 171 non-EU countries and territories.

Up-to-date European statistics on:

• international migration
• asylum
• managed migration
• children in migration
• migrant integration

Related information is also available on Eurostat's website.

Eurostat collects data from the National Statistics Authorities of the EU Member States and EFTA countries, based on statistical regulations adopted by the European Parliament and the Council. Data and related metadata are quality assured in line with the European Statistics Code of Practice, and updated at regular intervals depending on the data collection. Statistical findings are published in Statistics Explained articles and other publications.

_{Disclaimer: The above data is based on latest available information, updated on a quarterly basis, last update: November 2024.}