Immigration down in 2025, especially asylum and knowledge migrants | CBS

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Just over half of migrants came from countries outside the European Union (EU) and EFTA.

The number of asylum migrants and highly skilled migrants from countries outside the EU fell, in particular.

Over the past 27 years, an average of 9 percent of immigrants per year were asylum migrants.

A total of 309 thousand migrants arrived in the Netherlands in 2025, 8 thousand fewer than in 2024. Immigration from both other EU member states and countries outside the EU was lower than in 2024, while the number of people of Dutch nationality returning to the Netherlands remained the same. The number of asylum migrants and highly skilled migrants from countries outside the EU fell in particular. Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reports this on the basis of newly released figures.

Almost half of migrants came from countries outside the European Union (EU) and EFTA. Nearly 37 percent came from a country within the EU or EFTA and 14 percent are of Dutch nationality. These are often people returning to the Netherlands, having previously emigrated.

Download CSVShow datatableMigrants coming to the Netherlands, by nationalityjaarNon-EU/EFTA (x 1,000)EU/EFTA (x 1,000)Dutch (x 1,000)199955.621.543.7200068.023.244.2200170.523.541.7200264.822.237.5200353.620.133.5200438.726.531.9200536.127.832.3200636.132.036.8200736.344.840.0200847.057.143.8200949.855.645.4201048.961.044.4201149.169.045.3201244.770.843.3201348.973.143.0201457.481.544.3201576.782.145.7201692.888.649.1201783.599.651.7201880.4110.053.3201990.5124.654.5202061.4109.250.7202190.3117.845.02022230.2129.144.32023164.5126.744.92024155.0118.443.42025152.1113.742.8

Migrants coming to the Netherlands, by nationalityjaarNon-EU/EFTA (x 1,000)EU/EFTA (x 1,000)Dutch (x 1,000)199955.621.543.7200068.023.244.2200170.523.541.7200264.822.237.5200353.620.133.5200438.726.531.9200536.127.832.3200636.132.036.8200736.344.840.0200847.057.143.8200949.855.645.4201048.961.044.4201149.169.045.3201244.770.843.3201348.973.143.0201457.481.544.3201576.782.145.7201692.888.649.1201783.599.651.7201880.4110.053.3201990.5124.654.5202061.4109.250.7202190.3117.845.02022230.2129.144.32023164.5126.744.92024155.0118.443.42025152.1113.742.8

Lower immigration since 2023

In 2025, immigration was down for the third year in a row. The number of migrants arriving in the Netherlands rose almost continuously between 2006 and 2022. This increase was partly due to the fact that immigration from EU/EFTA countries rose annually until 2019, but also to periods of higher immigration from countries outside the EU/EFTA. The war in Ukraine in particular, led to a significant increase in immigration in 2022.

Number of highly skilled migrants has halved since 2022

In 2025, 14 thousand relatively well-paid, specialised labour migrants came to the Netherlands from countries outside the EU, compared to 26 thousand in 2022. In particular, there were fewer highly skilled migrants from India in 2025 than in 2024, but the number of people of Turkish, Russian, Chinese or South African nationality also fell. The number of other labour migrants from countries outside the EU has increased slightly in recent years.

Over the past 26 years, an average of nearly 1 in 5 migrants came to the Netherlands as labour migrants. There were over 61 thousand migrants in 2024, 19 percent of total immigration. Two-thirds of them came from an EU country.

Download CSVShow datatableLabour migrants, by nationalityjaarNon-EU/EFTA, kennismigratie (x 1,000)Non-EU/EFTA, overige arbeid (x 1,000)EU/EFTA (known up to 2024) (x 1,000)19990.24.77.720000.35.18.620010.35.78.220020.25.17.120030.35.45.620040.33.86.520051.63.27.020063.23.18.920074.33.013.420086.03.218.020095.22.515.520106.02.117.320116.92.619.120126.82.119.320137.51.621.320148.41.128.220159.51.528.0201610.91.530.3201712.82.035.9201815.22.340.0201916.83.044.520209.81.736.6202115.92.140.6202226.22.448.1202321.53.445.1202416.14.441.0202513.94.8

Labour migrants, by nationalityjaarNon-EU/EFTA, kennismigratie (x 1,000)Non-EU/EFTA, overige arbeid (x 1,000)EU/EFTA (known up to 2024) (x 1,000)19990.24.77.720000.35.18.620010.35.78.220020.25.17.120030.35.45.620040.33.86.520051.63.27.020063.23.18.920074.33.013.420086.03.218.020095.22.515.520106.02.117.320116.92.619.120126.82.119.320137.51.621.320148.41.128.220159.51.528.0201610.91.530.3201712.82.035.9201815.22.340.0201916.83.044.520209.81.736.6202115.92.140.6202226.22.448.1202321.53.445.1202416.14.441.0202513.94.8

Nearly 68 thousand family migrants

A total of 68 thousand family migrants arrived in the Netherlands in 2024, nearly a quarter of all migrants arriving in the same year. One in three family migrants accompany a labour migrant, or join them later. Because fewer highly skilled migrants are coming to the Netherlands, there were also fewer family members arriving in the same period.

Family members also come to the Netherlands to join study and asylum...