Finance
Number of Immigrants in EU Reaches Record High of 64.2 Million in 2025, Study Shows
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on April 22, 2026
2 min readLast updated: April 22, 2026
Add as preferred source on GoogleQuick Summary
In 2025, the immigrant population in the EU hit an unprecedented 64.2 million—up 2.1 million from 2024, compared to roughly 40 million in 2010. Germany remains the largest host, while Spain shows the fastest growth, amid disparities in asylum claims across the bloc.
EU Immigrant Population Reaches Record 64.2 Million in 2025, Study Reports
By Maria Martinez
Record Immigration Growth in the European Union
BERLIN, April 22 (Reuters) - The number of immigrants residing in the European Union climbed to a record high of 64.2 million in 2025, up about 2.1 million from a year earlier, according to a report published on Wednesday by the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin.
Comparative Figures and Data Sources
The figure compares with 40 million in 2010, the report said, citing Eurostat and U.N. Refugee Agency data.
Country-Specific Trends
Germany: Largest Host of Foreign-Born Residents
Germany remained the bloc's biggest host of foreign-born people at nearly 18 million, 72% of them of working age, while Spain posted the fastest recent growth, adding about 700,000 to bring its foreign-born population to 9.5 million.
Expert Commentary
"Germany remains the main destination for migrants in Europe, both in absolute terms and, to a significant extent, relative to its population," said Tommaso Frattini, one of the authors of the report.
Other EU Countries with High Immigrant Shares
The study said migration patterns were uneven across the bloc, with Luxembourg, Malta and Cyprus facing higher shares of immigrants relative to their population size.
Asylum Claims and Refugee Distribution
Asylum claims were also concentrated in certain countries, with Spain, Italy, France and Germany accounting for nearly three-quarters of all applications. Germany hosted the largest number of refugees overall, at 2.7 million.
(Reporting by Maria Martinez, Editing by Friederike Heine)
Key Takeaways
- •EU’s foreign‑born population reached a historic high of 64.2 million in 2025, up from around 63 million in 2024 and 40 million in 2010 (Eurostat/RFBerlin) (rfberlin.com).
- •Germany remained the top host with nearly 18 million foreign‑born residents—many of working age—while Spain added approximately 700,000, bringing its count to 9.5 million (rfberlin.com).
- •Immigration trends show significant variance: Luxembourg, Malta, and Cyprus have the highest immigrant shares relative to population, while Spain, Italy, France, and Germany handle nearly 75% of asylum claims; Germany alone hosts around 2.7 million refugees (euronews.com).
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Number of immigrants in EU reaches record high of 64.2 million in 2025, study shows
1How many immigrants lived in the EU in 2025?
According to a new study, the EU's immigrant population reached 64.2 million in 2025.
2Which EU country hosted the largest number of immigrants?
Germany hosted the largest number of foreign-born people, with nearly 18 million immigrants.
3Which countries had the fastest growth in foreign-born population?
Spain posted the fastest recent growth, adding about 700,000 immigrants to reach 9.5 million.
4Which EU countries received the most asylum applications?
Spain, Italy, France, and Germany accounted for nearly three-quarters of all EU asylum applications.
5What is the source of the EU immigrant population report?
The data comes from a report by the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin, citing Eurostat and U.N. Refugee Agency data.
