Top countries send immigrants to the EU

Five charts to start the day

In 2023, EU immigration reached an extraordinary milestone. Over 3.7 million people were granted first-time residence permits – the highest number ever recorded. For a continent often seen as grappling with the challenges of migration, this figure tells a different story: one of growing dynamism and shifting demographics.

At the heart of this migration wave are Ukrainian nationals, whose journeys to the EU reflect a tale of resilience and necessity. Even before Russia’s invasion in 2022, Ukrainians had been leading the charge westward, but the peak of this movement dates back to 2015, following the annexation of Crimea. By the close of 2022, around 1.4 million Ukrainians held valid residence permits within the EU, cementing their place as one of the largest non-EU groups living in the bloc, alongside Moroccans and Turks.