By 2025, the number of foreign-born residents in the European Union surpassed a historic milestone, exceeding 64 million. However, detailed data show that migration trends vary significantly from country to country.

According to a report by the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration, as well as data from Eurostat and UNHCR, the number of foreign-born residents living in the EU has steadily increased over the past decade and a half, reaching more than 64 million by 2025. (The report defines immigrants as all foreign-born individuals) This represents an increase of approximately 24 million people since 2010, with growth remaining strong in recent years.

“Between 2024 and 2025, the number of foreign-born residents in the EU increased by around 2.1 million (a 3.4% rise), which remains historically high, even if it falls short of the 2.6 million increase recorded between 2023 and 2024,” the CreAM analysis notes.

The report also highlights that roughly three-quarters of immigrants are of working age, indicating that migration continues to play a significant role both demographically and economically.

Western Europe driving growth

Recent migration flows have been highly concentrated. In 2024, nearly half of all incoming migrants settled in Spain and Germany, while the highest inflows relative to population were recorded in smaller states such as Malta, Cyprus, and Luxembourg.

According to the report, several key factors have driven immigration:

• Persistent labor shortages in many Western European countries, leading to targeted recruitment of foreign workers
• Established migrant communities from earlier refugee waves continuing to attract newcomers
• Deliberate immigration policies shaped by economic and demographic considerations in several member states

According to Deutsche Welle, Germany is currently home to nearly 18 million people of foreign origin, accounting for about 21.2% of its total population. This figure increased by roughly 300,000 in 2025 alone, making Germany by far the largest host country in the EU.

Other major Western European countries show similar trends, albeit at different paces. In both France and Spain, the number of immigrants reached approximately 9.5–9.6 million by 2025. However, while growth in France has been more gradual, Spain has seen a sharper rise, with around 700,000 new arrivals in a single year—representing a significant share of the EU total.

This category also includes refugees and individuals under temporary protection. In 2025, Germany again hosted the largest number, with around 2.7 million refugees—more than double the approximately 1 million recorded in Poland. France, Spain, and the Czech Republic also report notable figures, while in most other member states the number of refugees remains below 200,000.

Within the Central and Eastern European region, Austria stands out with around 281,000 refugees, followed by lower figures in Romania (192,000) and Slovakia (146,000). In Hungary, Croatia, and Slovenia, the number remains below 80,000.

In Hungary, around 73,000 refugees are currently registered, placing the country in the lower middle range within the EU. In proportional terms, this represents roughly 0.8% of the population.

However, when looking at the total foreign population, data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office show that more than 250,000 foreign nationals were living in the country at the beginning of 2025, also a record figure. This number has increased steadily over the past decade, suggesting that while the proportion of refugees remains relatively low, the overall foreign population continues to grow.

In recent years, Hungary has seen a rising number of foreign workers entering its labor market, particularly in industry and construction. As a result, immigration in Hungary has been driven less by asylum processes and more through economic channels.

For a related development highlighting the darker side of labour migration in Hungary, a recent investigation uncovered a suspected guest worker scheme linked to Áron Orbán. The case involves failed visa promises, substantial financial losses, and an ongoing criminal probe that has already led to multiple arrests.

Asylum applications in the EU: Pressure concentrated in a few countries

Asylum applications within the EU are also highly concentrated, though their overall number has declined. In 2025, a total of 669,000 first-time asylum applications were submitted, marking a 26.6% decrease compared to the previous year.

The majority of applications were handled by just a few countries. Spain, Italy, France, and Germany together accounted for around 74% of all cases. Spain received the highest number, with approximately 141,000 applications, followed closely by Italy, France, and Germany.

Greece also stands out with around 55,000 applications, while in most other member states the number typically remains below 30,000. These figures indicate that the burden on the EU’s asylum system is concentrated in a limited number of countries.

Hungary and Slovakia rank among the lowest in this regard, with asylum applications accounting for only around 0.1% of the total—highlighting a significant disparity compared to other member states.