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Foreign-born population in the EU countries

Topic: Population and health

In Luxembourg, 51.03% of the population was born in another country, against 2.56% in Poland.

On 1 January 2024, 13.94% of the people living in the EU were born in another country. The country of birth is the mother's country of residence at the time of the birth.

Figures for:
2024.
Covers:
one day.
New data:
once a year.
Dataset updated:
25 September 2026.

Published 6 November 2026

27 / 27 EU countries ranked

The ranking

On 1 January 2024, the share of the population born in another country was lowest in Poland, at 2.56%, and highest in Luxembourg, at 51.03%.

Share of the population born in another country, %

2024
0204060%
EU, 13.94 %
Rank 1: Luxembourg, 51.03 %
Rank 2: Malta, 30.84 %
Rank 3: Cyprus, 26.90 %
Rank 4: Ireland, 22.64 %
Rank 5: Austria, 22.09 %
Rank 6: Sweden, 20.56 %
Rank 7: Germany, 20.23 %
Rank 8: Belgium, 19.67 %
Rank 9: Spain, 18.18 %
Rank 10: Estonia, 17.78 %
Rank 11: Netherlands, 16.25 %
Rank 12: Portugal, 16.01 %
Rank 13: Slovenia, 15.06 %
Rank 14: Denmark, 13.96 %
Rank 15: France, 13.63 %
Rank 16: Croatia, 13.46 %
Rank 17: Latvia, 11.99 %
Rank 18: Italy, 11.32 %
Rank 19: Greece, 11.03 %
Rank 20: Czechia, 9.81 %
Rank 21: Lithuania, 9.30 %
Rank 22: Finland, 9.28 %
Rank 23: Hungary, 7.06 %
Rank 24: Romania, 5.67 %
Rank 25: Slovakia, 3.95 %
Rank 26: Bulgaria, 3.29 %
Rank 27: Poland, 2.56 %
How to read: bars start at zero. Every country with a value is shown, ranked from highest to lowest.Source: Eurostat, Population on 1 January by age group, sex and country of birth (migr_pop3ctb).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

Over time

From 2015 to 2024, the EU figure rose from 10.00% to 13.94%.

Share of the population born in another country in the EU, %

2015–2024
EU, by year: 2015 10.00%, 2016 10.33%, 2017 10.81%, 2018 11.38%, 2019 11.93%, 2020 12.27%, 2021 12.47%, 2022 12.57%, 2023 13.43%, 2024 13.94%.
Eurostat marks a break in the EU series in 2017, 2021 and 2023. Values before and after a break are not fully comparable.How to read: one value a year, from 2015 to 2024. The axis does not start at zero, so that the change shows.Source: Eurostat, Population on 1 January by age group, sex and country of birth (migr_pop3ctb).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

Between 2015 and 2024, the share fell in 2 countries and rose in 25.

Share of the population born in another country, %

2015 and 2024 · ranked by 2024
201520242024 − 2015Difference
01020304050pp
EU, 2015: 10.00 %, 2024: 13.94 %, 2024 − 2015: +3.94 pp
Rank 1: Luxembourg, 2015: 44.21 %, 2024: 51.03 %, 2024 − 2015: +6.82 pp
Rank 2: Malta, 2015: 11.97 %, 2024: 30.84 %, 2024 − 2015: +18.87 pp
Rank 3: Cyprus, 2015: 21.59 %, 2024: 26.90 %, 2024 − 2015: +5.31 pp
Rank 4: Ireland, 2015: 16.23 %, 2024: 22.64 %, 2024 − 2015: +6.41 pp
Rank 5: Austria, 2015: 17.28 %, 2024: 22.09 %, 2024 − 2015: +4.81 pp
Rank 6: Sweden, 2015: 16.44 %, 2024: 20.56 %, 2024 − 2015: +4.12 pp
Rank 7: Germany, 2015: 12.59 %, 2024: 20.23 %, 2024 − 2015: +7.64 pp
Rank 8: Belgium, 2015: 15.87 %, 2024: 19.67 %, 2024 − 2015: +3.80 pp
Rank 9: Spain, 2015: 12.67 %, 2024: 18.18 %, 2024 − 2015: +5.51 pp
Rank 10: Estonia, 2015: 14.68 %, 2024: 17.78 %, 2024 − 2015: +3.10 pp
Rank 11: Netherlands, 2015: 11.81 %, 2024: 16.25 %, 2024 − 2015: +4.44 pp
Rank 12: Portugal, 2015: 11.17 %, 2024: 16.01 %, 2024 − 2015: +4.84 pp
Rank 13: Slovenia, 2015: 11.52 %, 2024: 15.06 %, 2024 − 2015: +3.54 pp
Rank 14: Denmark, 2015: 10.53 %, 2024: 13.96 %, 2024 − 2015: +3.43 pp
Rank 15: France, 2015: 11.91 %, 2024: 13.63 %, 2024 − 2015: +1.72 pp
Rank 16: Croatia, 2015: 13.04 %, 2024: 13.46 %, 2024 − 2015: +0.42 pp
Rank 17: Latvia, 2024: 11.99 %, 2015: 13.36 %, 2024 − 2015: −1.37 pp
Rank 18: Italy, 2015: 8.93 %, 2024: 11.32 %, 2024 − 2015: +2.39 pp
Rank 19: Greece, 2024: 11.03 %, 2015: 11.59 %, 2024 − 2015: −0.56 pp
Rank 20: Czechia, 2015: 3.95 %, 2024: 9.81 %, 2024 − 2015: +5.86 pp
Rank 21: Lithuania, 2015: 4.51 %, 2024: 9.30 %, 2024 − 2015: +4.79 pp
Rank 22: Finland, 2015: 5.75 %, 2024: 9.28 %, 2024 − 2015: +3.53 pp
Rank 23: Hungary, 2015: 4.84 %, 2024: 7.06 %, 2024 − 2015: +2.22 pp
Rank 24: Romania, 2015: 1.41 %, 2024: 5.67 %, 2024 − 2015: +4.26 pp
Rank 25: Slovakia, 2015: 3.28 %, 2024: 3.95 %, 2024 − 2015: +0.67 pp
Rank 26: Bulgaria, 2015: 1.72 %, 2024: 3.29 %, 2024 − 2015: +1.57 pp
Rank 27: Poland, 2015: 1.61 %, 2024: 2.56 %, 2024 − 2015: +0.95 pp
Eurostat marks a break in the series between 2015 and 2024 for Croatia, Czechia, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and Poland. Their two values are not fully comparable.How to read: each arrow goes from 2015 (outlined dot) to 2024 (filled dot). A leftward arrow means the share fell. Each value is beside its dot. The column on the right is their difference, 2024 − 2015. Countries are ranked by 2024.Source: Eurostat, Population on 1 January by age group, sex and country of birth (migr_pop3ctb).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

Born outside the EU or in another EU country

Counting only people born in another EU country, the spread across countries was much narrower. Poland was again the lowest, at 0.64%, and Luxembourg again the highest, at 32.88%. The gap between Luxembourg and Poland was 32.24 percentage points.

Counting only people born outside the EU, the spread across countries was narrower than counting only people born in another EU country. It ranged from 1.08% in Slovakia to 23.56% in Malta. The highest and the lowest were 22.48 percentage points apart.

Share of the population born in another country: born in another EU country and born outside the EU, %

2024
Born in another EU countryBorn outside the EUBorn outside the EU − born in another EU countryDifference
0102030pp
EU, Born in another EU country: 3.99 %, Born outside the EU: 9.95 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +5.96
Rank 1: Malta, Born in another EU country: 7.29 %, Born outside the EU: 23.56 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +16.27
Rank 2: Luxembourg, Born outside the EU: 18.15 %, Born in another EU country: 32.88 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: −14.73
Rank 3: Cyprus, Born in another EU country: 9.31 %, Born outside the EU: 17.59 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +8.28
Rank 4: Ireland, Born in another EU country: 6.68 %, Born outside the EU: 15.96 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +9.28
Rank 5: Estonia, Born in another EU country: 1.92 %, Born outside the EU: 15.86 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +13.94
Rank 6: Sweden, Born in another EU country: 5.25 %, Born outside the EU: 15.31 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +10.06
Rank 7: Spain, Born in another EU country: 3.28 %, Born outside the EU: 14.90 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +11.62
Rank 8: Germany, Born in another EU country: 7.61 %, Born outside the EU: 12.62 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +5.01
Rank 9: Austria, Born in another EU country: 9.65 %, Born outside the EU: 12.44 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +2.79
Rank 10: Portugal, Born in another EU country: 3.57 %, Born outside the EU: 12.44 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +8.87
Rank 11: Slovenia, Born in another EU country: 2.89 %, Born outside the EU: 12.17 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +9.28
Rank 12: Netherlands, Born in another EU country: 4.34 %, Born outside the EU: 11.90 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +7.56
Rank 13: Croatia, Born in another EU country: 1.70 %, Born outside the EU: 11.76 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +10.06
Rank 14: Belgium, Born in another EU country: 8.05 %, Born outside the EU: 11.62 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +3.57
Rank 15: Latvia, Born in another EU country: 1.14 %, Born outside the EU: 10.85 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +9.71
Rank 16: France, Born in another EU country: 2.87 %, Born outside the EU: 10.76 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +7.89
Rank 17: Denmark, Born in another EU country: 4.57 %, Born outside the EU: 9.39 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +4.82
Rank 18: Greece, Born in another EU country: 2.25 %, Born outside the EU: 8.78 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +6.53
Rank 19: Lithuania, Born in another EU country: 0.68 %, Born outside the EU: 8.62 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +7.94
Rank 20: Italy, Born in another EU country: 2.71 %, Born outside the EU: 8.60 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +5.89
Rank 21: Czechia, Born in another EU country: 2.88 %, Born outside the EU: 6.93 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +4.05
Rank 22: Finland, Born in another EU country: 2.39 %, Born outside the EU: 6.89 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +4.50
Rank 23: Romania, Born in another EU country: 1.65 %, Born outside the EU: 4.02 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +2.37
Rank 24: Hungary, Born outside the EU: 3.47 %, Born in another EU country: 3.60 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: −0.13
Rank 25: Bulgaria, Born in another EU country: 1.05 %, Born outside the EU: 2.24 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +1.19
Rank 26: Poland, Born in another EU country: 0.64 %, Born outside the EU: 1.91 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: +1.27
Rank 27: Slovakia, Born outside the EU: 1.08 %, Born in another EU country: 2.87 %, Born outside the EU − born in another EU country: −1.79
How to read: the filled dot is born outside the EU, the outlined dot born in another EU country, each with its value beside it. The column on the right is their difference, born outside the eu − born in another eu country. Countries are ranked by born outside the EU.Source: Eurostat, Population on 1 January by age group, sex and country of birth (migr_pop3ctb).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·
Born in another countryBorn in another EU countryBorn outside the EU
Lowest2.56%Poland0.64%Poland1.08%Slovakia
Highest51.03%Luxembourg32.88%Luxembourg23.56%Malta
Highest − lowest48.47 pp32.24 pp22.48 pp

Born in another country

Lowest: 2.56% (Poland)Highest: 51.03% (Luxembourg)Highest − lowest: 48.47 pp

Born in another EU country

Lowest: 0.64% (Poland)Highest: 32.88% (Luxembourg)Highest − lowest: 32.24 pp

Born outside the EU

Lowest: 1.08% (Slovakia)Highest: 23.56% (Malta)Highest − lowest: 22.48 pp

Age groups

On 1 January 2024, 16.75% of the people aged 15 to 64 living in the EU were born in another country, against 10.31% of those aged 65 or over and 7.03% of children under 15.

Share of the population born in another country, by age group, %

2024
65 or over15 to 64under 15
EU, 65 or over: 10.31 %,15 to 64: 16.75 %,under 15: 7.03 %,
Rank 1: Luxembourg, 65 or over: 42.30 %,15 to 64: 59.46 %,under 15: 22.29 %,
Rank 2: Estonia, 65 or over: 30.48 %,15 to 64: 15.99 %,under 15: 8.65 %,
Rank 3: Latvia, 65 or over: 28.28 %,15 to 64: 8.17 %,under 15: 5.03 %,
Rank 4: Germany, 65 or over: 18.67 %,15 to 64: 23.05 %,under 15: 9.87 %,
Rank 5: Croatia, 65 or over: 17.80 %,15 to 64: 14.35 %,under 15: 2.36 %,
Rank 6: Ireland, 65 or over: 15.14 %,15 to 64: 25.93 %,under 15: 17.40 %,
Rank 7: Austria, 65 or over: 15.03 %,15 to 64: 26.99 %,under 15: 9.44 %,
Rank 8: Cyprus, 65 or over: 14.54 %,15 to 64: 33.15 %,under 15: 13.82 %,
Rank 9: France, 65 or over: 14.53 %,15 to 64: 15.69 %,under 15: 5.01 %,
Rank 10: Sweden, 65 or over: 14.50 %,15 to 64: 25.97 %,under 15: 8.15 %,
Rank 11: Slovenia, 65 or over: 13.89 %,15 to 64: 17.58 %,under 15: 5.93 %,
Rank 12: Belgium, 65 or over: 13.74 %,15 to 64: 24.28 %,under 15: 8.85 %,
Rank 13: Lithuania, 65 or over: 10.99 %,15 to 64: 8.87 %,under 15: 8.84 %,
Rank 14: Netherlands, 65 or over: 10.06 %,15 to 64: 20.31 %,under 15: 7.34 %,
Rank 15: Malta, 65 or over: 8.42 %,15 to 64: 39.79 %,under 15: 13.93 %,
Rank 16: Spain, 65 or over: 8.05 %,15 to 64: 23.08 %,under 15: 9.24 %,
Rank 17: Denmark, 65 or over: 6.74 %,15 to 64: 18.26 %,under 15: 6.08 %,
Rank 18: Czechia, 65 or over: 6.11 %,15 to 64: 12.01 %,under 15: 5.76 %,
Rank 19: Greece, 65 or over: 6.00 %,15 to 64: 14.50 %,under 15: 3.19 %,
Rank 20: Slovakia, 65 or over: 5.62 %,15 to 64: 3.22 %,under 15: 5.01 %,
Rank 21: Hungary, 65 or over: 4.88 %,15 to 64: 8.00 %,under 15: 6.00 %,
Rank 22: Italy, 65 or over: 4.37 %,15 to 64: 15.34 %,under 15: 4.23 %,
Rank 23: Portugal, 65 or over: 4.25 %,15 to 64: 21.29 %,under 15: 12.19 %,
Rank 24: Poland, 65 or over: 3.61 %,15 to 64: 2.05 %,under 15: 3.26 %,
Rank 25: Finland, 65 or over: 2.40 %,15 to 64: 12.80 %,under 15: 5.46 %,
Rank 26: Bulgaria, 65 or over: 1.98 %,15 to 64: 3.17 %,under 15: 5.98 %,
Rank 27: Romania, 65 or over: 1.54 %,15 to 64: 5.10 %,under 15: 13.15 %,
How to read: one row per country, one column per group, each value in its cell. The stronger the colour, the higher the value. Countries are ranked by the “65 or over” column.Source: Eurostat, Population on 1 January by age group, sex and country of birth (migr_pop3ctb).Chart: Civitascope (civitascope.eu) · CC BY 4.0 · Download image · Download data ·

About the data

The number of people living in a country on 1 January who were born in another country. The country of birth is the mother's country of residence at the time of the birth, or else the country where the birth took place. The story shows it as a percentage of the whole population.

Eurostat: “Country of birth is the country of residence (in its current borders, if the information is available) of the mother at the time of the birth or, in default, the country (in its current borders, if the information is available) in which the birth took place.” (source)

Population figures by country of birth reported to Eurostat by the national statistical institutes under the EU regulations on migration statistics and on demographic statistics. Most countries take them from population registers and other administrative sources. Others start from the latest census and add later births, deaths and migration.

How to read these numbers

How it is measured

Country of birth is the mother's country of residence at the time of the birth, in its current borders where this is known. The dataset also lists former states, such as Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union, as countries of birth. People born abroad include citizens of the country who were born elsewhere.

Countries count different populations. Finland reports the legally resident population. Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden, and in part Czechia, Germany and Spain, report the registered population, and the others the usually resident population.

Asylum seekers who have lived in the country for at least 12 months are part of the population in some countries and left out in others. Slovakia leaves out refugees who have lived there for at least 12 months. Finland includes refugees from Ukraine under temporary protection only if they have applied for permanent residence. Coverage of hard-to-reach groups and of immigrants who have not registered their arrival may also differ between countries.

Germany's figures by country of birth are estimated from the distribution of countries of birth in the 2022 census.

Portugal sent Eurostat revised population figures for 2022 to 2025 at the end of June 2026. This dataset still has Portugal's earlier figures, lower than those in Eurostat's demographic balance.

Some people have no known country of birth. They are counted in the whole population but not among those born abroad.

While countries' revisions are being processed, the EU figure may not exactly match the sum of the countries.

France's figures cover the whole country, with its overseas departments. Mayotte has been included since 2014. Cyprus's figures cover the government-controlled area.

Revisions

Bulgaria, Ireland, Spain, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland and Portugal revised their population figures between the 2011 and 2021 censuses. The revisions were released in 2024 and 2025.

Breaks in the series

Germany's figures by country of birth have a break in the series in 2023. From 2023 on, more people in Germany have no known country of birth.

Sources and data

Eurostat, Population on 1 January by age group, sex and country of birth (migr_pop3ctb). Data updated 25 September 2026, retrieved 6 November 2026. Licence: CC BY 4.0.

Eurostat metadata · Eurostat methodology

The exact Eurostat API query

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/api/dissemination/statistics/1.0/data/migr_pop3ctb?format=JSON&lang=en&age=TOTAL&c_birth=FOR&c_birth=TOTAL&freq=A&geo=AT&geo=BE&geo=BG&geo=CY&geo=CZ&geo=DE&geo=DK&geo=EE&geo=EL&geo=ES&geo=EU27_2020&geo=FI&geo=FR&geo=HR&geo=HU&geo=IE&geo=IT&geo=LT&geo=LU&geo=LV&geo=MT&geo=NL&geo=PL&geo=PT&geo=RO&geo=SE&geo=SI&geo=SK&sex=T&unit=NR

How every number in this story was computed

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