EU Sees Rise in Foreign-Born Residents, Luxembourg Leads in Proportion
BRUSSELS – Nearly 47 million people born outside the European Union resided within its borders in 2025, a 1.9 million increase from the previous year, according to new data released by Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office. This represents approximately 10 percent of the EU’s total population of 450 million.
The data, published in early March 2026, highlights shifting demographics within the bloc and underscores the increasing role of migration in shaping European societies. Eurostat analyzes both country of birth and nationality, recognizing that citizenship can change over time.
While the overall number of foreign-born residents is significant, the proportion varies considerably across EU member states. Luxembourg has the highest share, with 51 percent of its population born abroad. Malta follows with 32 percent, and Cyprus with almost 28 percent. Ireland and Austria also report high percentages, at 23 percent and 22 percent respectively. Sweden and Germany each reported just over 20 percent.
Conversely, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, and Slovakia have the lowest proportions of foreign-born residents, with less than 5 percent of their populations born outside their respective countries.
In absolute numbers, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy host the largest populations of foreign-born residents – 17.2 million, 9.6 million, 9.5 million, and 6.9 million respectively, accounting for nearly 67 percent of the total across the EU.
Beyond those born in non-EU countries, Eurostat data also shows that approximately 4 percent of the EU population are citizens of other EU member states, totaling 18 million residents born in another EU country and 14.1 million with citizenship from another EU nation.
Migration patterns continue to evolve. In 2024, 4.2 million people moved to the EU from non-EU countries, slightly down from 4.4 million in 2023. Spain, Germany, and France were the primary destinations, while also reporting the highest numbers of citizens emigrating from the bloc.
Eurostat notes that the proportion of foreign-born residents has increased in most EU countries over the past decade, with only Latvia and Greece experiencing a decline. The report attributes migration to a complex interplay of economic, environmental, political, and social factors, citing the EU’s relative economic prosperity and political stability as key “pull” factors.
The largest groups of third-country nationals residing in the EU originate from Ukraine, Turkey, and Morocco. Within the EU itself, Romanians, Italians, and Poles represent the largest groups moving between member states.
