Net migration in France 2008-2023

In 2023, net migration rate in France reached 183,000. In recent years Europe and France have seen more people arrive than depart. The net migration rate is the difference between the number of immigrants (people coming into an area) and the number of emigrants (people leaving an area) throughout the year. The highest net migration rate in France was reached in 2020 when it amounted to 223,000. Net migration appears to be high in Western European countries like Germany or the United Kingdom. Armed conflicts and economic migration are some of the reasons for immigration in Europe. 

The refugee crisis

Studies have shown that there were 215,000 immigrant arrivals in France in 2020, a number which is rising overall since 2014. The migrant crisis, which began in 2015 in Europe, had an impact on the migration entry flows not only in France but in all European countries. The number of illegal border-crossings to the EU over the Eastern Mediterranean route reached a record number of 885,386 crossings in 2015, compared to 24,799 two years before.

Immigration in France

Since the middle of the 19th century, France has attracted immigrants, first from European countries (like Poland, Spain, and Italy), and then from the former French colonies. In 2022, there were approximately 8.7 million people foreign-born in France. Most of them were living in the Ile-de-France region, which contains Paris, and in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur in the Southeastern part of the country. In 2022, the majority of immigrants arriving in France were from Africa and Europe.