EU Breaks Record with Over 3.7 Million First Residence Permits Issued in 2023

EU Breaks Record with Over 3.7 Million First Residence Permits Issued in 2023

Key Takeaways

- The EU issued over 3.7 million first residence permits to non-EU citizens in 2023, the highest number recorded.
- Ukraine, Belarus, and India topped the list of countries receiving the most permits.
- Employment was the main reason for 33.8% of the permits issued.

In 2023, the European Union granted over 3.7 million first residence permits to non-EU nationals, a 4.7% increase from 2022, marking a record high.

According to Eurostat, the EU Statistics Agency, employment was the primary reason for issuing these permits, accounting for 33.8% (1.3 million), though this was a slight 0.4% decrease from the previous year.

Family and Protection Reasons Dominate Residence Permits

Data revealed that family reunification was the second most common reason, making up 26.4% (986,453) of the permits, reflecting a 6.4% increase.

International protection accounted for 25.6% (956,646), a 5.3% rise, while education, the fastest-growing category, comprised 14.3% (534,558), a significant 13.5% increase.

In 2023, most permits were granted to Ukrainian citizens (307,313), followed by those from Belarus (281,279) and India (207,966).

Eurostat Statistics Breakdown

The top ten countries with the highest number of nationals receiving residence permits varied in reasons:

- Employment was the primary reason for nationals from Ukraine (71.7%), Belarus (52.3%), India (45.2%), and Türkiye (31.8%).
- International protection was the top reason for Syrians (77.3%) and Afghans (85.1%).
- Family reunification led for Moroccans (50.3%), Russians (39.4%), and Brazilians (35.3%).
- Education was the main reason for Chinese nationals (37.8%).

Germany Leads EU Residence Permits in 2022

The Eurostat 2022 report showed a 26% rise in residence permits compared to 2021, reaching the highest level since 2009, surpassing the pre-pandemic total of 3 million. Over 42% of these permits were for employment (243,617), up 18% from the previous year.

Germany issued the highest number of permits in the EU in 2022, with 538,690, followed by Spain, Italy, and France.

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