Net migration in Hungary 2006-2022
Over the time period observed, the number of immigrants to Hungary exceeded the number of those leaving the country. The net migration ranged between 39 thousand persons in 2019 and 8.1 thousand individuals in 2020. As of 2022, emigration from Hungary was measured at 58 thousand people, with over 94 thousand individuals immigrating to the country.
Illegal immigration to Hungary
Hungary’s strict asylum policy which detained large numbers of fist-time asylum seekers arriving from conflict zones gave way to the increasing number of illegal immigrants in 2015. In the same year, almost 12 thousand third country nationals were found to be illegally present in Hungary. This represented an increase of almost 100 percent compared to 2014. When it comes to Hungarians’ opinion on the topic, as of March 2020, over two-thirds of the population found illegal immigration a concerning issue.
Emigration from Hungary
Average salaries, the cost of living, and the lack of job opportunities led to thousands of Hungarians leaving the country each year. Their primary destinations were other member states of the European Union. Specifically, in 2021, almost 192 thousand Hungarians resided in Germany, another 91 thousand in Austria, and 18 thousand in the Netherlands.
