EU immigrant population reaches record 64 million as Germany remains top destination
People stand in line to submit documents to the state migration office to legalize their migration status in Almería, Spain, on April 20, 2026. (Photo: REUTERS/Nacho Doce)
Immigrant populations in the European Union reached a record 64.2 million in 2025, according to a migration report cited by Reuters.
The total rose by 2.1 million compared with 2024, while the number stood at 40 million in 2010, highlighting a long-term upward trend across the bloc.
Germany hosts the largest immigrant population in the EU, with nearly 18 million people, 72% of whom are of working age, the report found.
Germany remains the primary destination for migrants in Europe both in absolute terms and relative to its population size, report co-author Tommaso Frattini said.
Spain recorded the fastest growth in its foreign population in recent years, with 9.5 million migrants currently residing in the country.
Migration patterns vary significantly across EU member states, researchers noted. Countries such as Luxembourg, Malta, and Cyprus have a higher share of immigrants relative to their total populations.
Nearly three-quarters of all asylum applications in the EU were filed in Spain, Italy, France, and Germany.
Germany also hosted the largest number of refugees in 2025, with 2.7 million people, the report said.
Germany’s parliament passed legislation in February 2026 tightening asylum rules while easing access to the labor market for asylum seekers.
Asylum applications in Germany dropped sharply in the first three months of 2026, according to a confidential European Commission report cited by Deutsche Welle on April 20.
Germany fell to fourth place among EU countries in asylum applications for the first time since 2015, after leading the ranking for years.
France recorded the highest number of asylum applications in the first quarter of 2026 with 34,643, followed by Spain with 32,630 and Italy with 32,602.
Hungary and Slovakia reported the lowest numbers, with 26 and 35 applications respectively.
Applicants from Venezuela, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh accounted for the largest share of asylum seekers, while applications from Syrians and Ukrainians declined.
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