In a landmark achievement, the European Union issued over 3.7 million first residence permits to non-EU citizens in 2023, according to the EU Statistics Agency, Eurostat. This figure represents a 4.7% increase from 2022, marking the highest number of permits ever recorded. The rise underscores the EU’s ongoing demand for foreign labor, family reunification, and international protection.
Breakdown of Reasons for Permits
Employment emerged as the top reason for issuing residence permits, making up 33.8% of the total with 1.3 million permits. However, this is a slight decline of 0.4% compared to 2022.
Family reasons accounted for 26.4% of permits, reflecting a 6.4% increase, while international protection made up 25.6%, growing by 5.3%. Notably, education was the fastest-growing category, representing 14.3% of all permits with a 13.5% surge.
Top Countries Receiving Residence Permits
The countries receiving the highest number of first residence permits were Ukraine, Belarus, and India. Ukrainian nationals received 307,313 permits, primarily for employment (71.7%), followed by Belarus with 281,279 permits, and India with 207,966.
Key Statistics from Eurostat
Below is a breakdown of the leading reasons for residence permits issued to citizens from the top ten countries:
| Country | Total Permits | Main Reason (Percentage) |
|---|---|---|
| Ukraine | 307,313 | Employment (71.7%) |
| Belarus | 281,279 | Employment (52.3%) |
| India | 207,966 | Employment (45.2%) |
| Türkiye | N/A | Employment (31.8%) |
| Syria | N/A | Protection (77.3%) |
| Afghanistan | N/A | Protection (85.1%) |
| Morocco | N/A | Family (50.3%) |
| Russia | N/A | Family (39.4%) |
| Brazil | N/A | Family (35.3%) |
| China | N/A | Education (37.8%) |
Leading Countries for Residence Permits in the EU
Germany led the EU in issuing first residence permits in 2023, granting over 538,690. Spain followed with more than 300,000 permits, while Italy and France each issued over 300,000 permits as well.
The record-breaking number of permits reflects both the increasing need for foreign labor and the EU’s commitment to humanitarian protection and family reunification.
