How many people immigrate to the Netherlands?

A total of 336 thousand immigrants arrived in the Netherlands in 2023. That was 67 thousand fewer than in 2022. In addition, 198 thousand people emigrated from the Netherlands, 19 thousand more than in 2022.

Overall then, more people came to live in the Netherlands in 2023 than left. Net migration (immigration minus emigration) was positive, at 224 thousand. Between 2003 and 2007, net migration was negative: there were fewer immigrants than emigrants.

An immigrant is someone who arrives in the Netherlands from another country and registers with a municipality. Asylum seekers are only counted as immigrants if they have been granted a (temporary) residence permit, or if they have lived in a reception centre for asylum seekers for more than six months and have registered as residents.

What impact does migration have on the overall population figures?

Migration is not the only factor that can lead to a rise or fall in the population. The birth rate and death rate also play a role. In 2023, there were fewer births than deaths in the Netherlands. The natural rate of population growth (births minus deaths) was therefore negative, at -6 thousand. Net migration and natural population growth combined meant there was population growth of 132 thousand overall. Until 2014, natural growth was the main factor driving population growth in the Netherlands; since 2014, it has mainly been driven by net migration.

Where do immigrants come from?

Immigrants come from many different countries. The majority of immigrants were resident in another European country before they came to the Netherlands. In 2023, the largest number of immigrants came from Ukraine (35 thousand people). Other countries where a large number of immigrants came from include Poland, Türkiye (Turkey) and Germany.

However, the country in which somebody lived before arriving in the Netherlands is not always the country that they were born in. For instance, there are people who were born in the Netherlands, emigrated to another country, and later return to the Netherlands. However, most immigrants were born elsewhere.

Figures on nationality are collected at the time of immigration. Nationality is usually acquired at birth (either the nationality of the parents or the country in which a person is born) and in some cases through naturalisation. Some immigrants hold Dutch nationality, but most hold the nationality of another country.

Why do immigrants come to the Netherlands?

People come to live in the Netherlands for a range of reasons. Labour migrants come to work, study migrants come to take part in education, asylum seekers come to apply for asylum, and family migrants come to be reunited with their partner, parents and/or children.

Whether or not an immigrant’s reason for migrating is recorded depends on their nationality upon arrival:

  • Dutch nationality: no reason for migration is attributed.
  • Nationality of another EU state or EFTA state (Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland): the reason for migrating is inferred from the kind of activities that the person engages in once they are in the Netherlands. These data are available up to 2022.
  • Other nationalities (all non-EU/EFTA countries): these immigrants are required to register with the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND). Their reason for migrating is determined on the basis of their residence permit. These data are available until 2023.

Immigrants who hold an EU/EFTA nationality often settle in the Netherlands in order to work. In 2022, 47 thousand such people came to the Netherlands for this reason. No migration motive was attributed for 44 thousand people because they were Dutch nationals. The remainder came here to study, for some other purpose, or for unknown reasons.

Immigrants who hold a non-EU/EFTA nationality mainly come in order to join other family members who are already in the Netherlands. In 2023, there were 42 thousand such ‘family migrants’. Many refugees also came from Ukraine, under the Temporary Protection Directive. The remainder came to the Netherlands to request asylum, to work, to study, for some other purpose, or for unknown reasons.

How long do immigrants stay?

Not all immigrants stay in the Netherlands. A significant share of them leave for another country after a few years. Among those who arrived in the Netherlands between 2010 and 2013, around 60 percent are no longer in the country.

There is a correlation between people’s original reason for migrating and whether they stay in the Netherlands or not. Among immigrants with an EU/EFTA nationality, those who came here to work or study are the least likely to stay. Those who already held Dutch nationality or who came to be with family members were the most likely to stay.

There is a similar picture among immigrants who hold non-EU/EFTA nationality. They are also the least likely to stay if they came to the Netherlands to study. Those who came here to be reunited with family members or to apply for asylum are the most likely to stay.

Would you like to find out more about immigration?

Een uitgebreide analyse van de migratie naar herkomst en motief staat in het hoofdstuk Bevolking van de Rapportage Integratie en Samenleven 2024.

Sources

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