The number of immigrants living across the European Union has reached a historic high of 64.2 million in 2025, marking an increase of approximately 2.1 million compared to the previous year, according to a new study.
The report, published by the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin, highlights a sharp rise from 40 million recorded in 2010, drawing on data from Eurostat and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Germany continues to host the largest number of foreign-born residents in the bloc, with nearly 18 million immigrants—around 72% of whom are of working age. Meanwhile, Spain has seen the fastest recent growth, adding roughly 700,000 immigrants and bringing its total to 9.5 million. According to migration expert Tommaso Frattini, Germany remains the primary destination for migrants in Europe, both in overall numbers and relative to its population size.
The study also notes uneven migration trends across the EU. Smaller nations such as Luxembourg, Malta, and Cyprus have higher proportions of immigrants relative to their populations.
Asylum applications are concentrated in a few key countries, with Spain, Italy, France, and Germany accounting for nearly 75% of all claims. Germany also hosts the largest refugee population in the EU, with approximately 2.7 million people.
