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Immigration 2024438,6264th in the EU-27
Net migration 2024+175,393immigration − emigration
First-time asylum claims 2025116,4803rd in the EU-27 · 17.4% UE
New citizenships 2024103,6614th in the EU-27

France ranks 4th in the EU-27 for regular immigration: in 2024 it registered 438,626 arrivals and 263,233 departures, for a net balance of +175,393. In 2025 first-time asylum applications came to 116,480, 17.4% of the EU total; citizenship acquisitions in 2024 numbered 103,661.

Regular migration

The series includes all citizenships — EU citizens moving between member states and returning nationals included — and counts those moving their usual residence for at least 12 months. Compared with 2019, immigration is up 14%.

Immigration Emigration

Regular migration, France, by year · Eurostat
YearImmigrationEmigrationNet
2024438,626263,233+175,393
2023467,548266,368+201,180
2022490,655279,833+210,822
2021388,513147,051+241,462
2020331,137191,893+139,244
2019385,596259,143+126,453
2018387,160188,740+198,420
2017369,621215,470+154,151
2016377,709313,622+64,087
2015364,221324,517+39,704
2014340,383308,103+32,280
2013338,752239,813+98,939
2012327,431255,922+71,509
2011319,816291,594+28,222
2010307,111269,531+37,580
2009296,970264,631+32,339
2008296,608239,796+56,812

Asylum applications

First-time applications for international protection lodged in France in 2025 came to 116,480 (the 3rd-highest in the EU). The series peak remains 2023, with 145,160 applications.

First-time asylum applications, France, by year · Eurostat
YearFirst-time claims
2025116,480
2024129,915
2023145,160
2022137,610
2021103,800
202081,735
2019138,295
2018126,585
201791,975
201676,785
201570,565
201458,850
201360,475
201254,290
201152,140
201048,025
200942,070
2008·

New citizenships

In 2024 citizenship acquisitions came to 103,661, the 4th-highest in the EU-27. It is a lagging indicator: today's new citizens typically immigrated several years ago. The main previous citizenships of new citizens (2024): Morocco (14,454), Algeria (12,002), Tunisia (7,250), Türkiye (4,831), Russia (2,514).

Citizenship acquisitions, France, by year · Eurostat
YearAcquisitions
2024103,661
202397,288
2022114,483
2021130,385
202086,483
2019109,821
2018110,014
2017114,274
2016119,152
2015113,608
2014105,613
201397,276
201296,051
2011114,569
2010143,261
2009135,852
2008137,452

Who leaves

In 2024, 183,617 of the country's own citizens moved abroad (the 1st-highest in the EU). The true number is almost certainly higher: emigration is measured through de-registrations, and people who leave do not always deregister.

How to read these numbers. Regular migration follows the UN definition (residence ≥ 12 months) and also includes EU citizens and returning nationals. “First-time applications” exclude repeat claims in the same country. Emigration, based on de-registrations, is generally undercounted. Definitions in the glossary, sources and limits in the methodology.

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