The number of foreign-born people living in the European Union (EU) reached a record high of 64.2 million in 2025, according to a report released Wednesday by the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin. This marks an increase from 40 million in 2010 and a growth of about 2.1 million from 2024.

Germany remains the largest host of immigrants in absolute terms, with nearly 18 million foreign-born residents, up from 10 million in 2010 — a 70% increase. However, several smaller countries have a much higher percentage of foreign-born residents relative to their population.

The report draws on data from Eurostat and the UN Refugee Agency. It highlights that while Germany leads in absolute numbers, countries like Luxembourg, Malta, and Cyprus have significantly higher proportions of foreign-born individuals.

In 2025, the total number of asylum applications in the EU amounted to 669,365, a decrease of 26.6% compared with 2024. The report suggests that migration patterns continue to shift across the bloc.

The findings underscore the ongoing demographic changes in the EU, driven by both economic migration and humanitarian factors. The report notes that the foreign-born population is increasingly diverse in terms of origin and settlement patterns.

Source: www.dw.com