France was home to 7.97 million immigrants in 2025, or 11.6% of its 68.9 million residents, according to INSEE, and its Interior Ministry issued 377,462 first residence permits that year, up 9.2%. Asylum applications fell, with 116,944 first requests (down 10.0%), while the immigration office OFPRA granted protection in a record 63,594 first-instance decisions and France recorded the most asylum applications in the EU in the first quarter of 2026.
France Immigration Statistics 2026 – Introduction
France immigration statistics draw sharp political debate, and the numbers reward a close read. Two official sources do most of the work. INSEE, the national statistics office, counts who lives in the country and where they were born. The Interior Ministry’s immigration directorate counts who receives permits, visas, asylum and citizenship each year. The two answer different questions, so mixing them produces errors.
The picture for 2026 is mixed. The immigrant share has climbed from 7.3% in 1999 to 11.6% in 2025, and first residence permits rose again after four slow years. Yet asylum requests are falling, visa growth is modest and fewer people became French citizens. This report covers the foreign population, immigrants by country of birth, residence permits, visas, asylum, citizenship and removals, one data table at a time.
Interesting Facts About France Immigration Statistics 2026
IMMIGRANTS AS A SHARE OF FRANCE'S POPULATION (each █ = 0.5 points)
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1999 ███████████████ 7.3%
2023 █████████████████████ 10.7%
2024 ██████████████████████▌ 11.3%
2025 ███████████████████████ 11.6%
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| Interesting Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Immigrants living in France, 2025 | 7.97 million, or 11.6% of the population |
| Foreigners living in France, 2025 | 6.3 million, or 9.1% |
| Total population, 2025 | 68.85 million |
| Immigrants who became French citizens | 2.6 million, about one-third |
| First residence permits, 2025 | 377,462, up 9.2% |
| Valid residence permits, December 31, 2025 | 4.47 million, up 3.2% |
| First asylum applications, 2025 | 116,944, down 10.0% |
| Forced removals, 2025 | 15,569, up 21.1% |
Source: INSEE, population estimates 2025; French Interior Ministry, Direction générale des étrangers en France (DGEF), 2025 immigration statistics; Eurostat data cited by INSEE.
The first four rows describe the people already in France. INSEE counts 7.97 million immigrants, a group defined as people born foreign abroad, and 6.3 million foreigners, defined by nationality. The two overlap but differ. About 2.6 million immigrants have acquired French nationality, so they count as immigrants but not foreigners.
The last four rows describe flows. The Interior Ministry issued 377,462 first residence permits in 2025, and 4.47 million permits were valid at year end. Asylum requests fell 10.0% to 116,944, while forced removals rose 21.1% to 15,569. The chart shows the long climb in the immigrant share, from 7.3% in 1999 to 11.6% in 2025.
France Foreign-Born and Foreign Population 2026 | INSEE Immigrants and Foreigners
POPULATION BY BIRTHPLACE AND NATIONALITY, 2025 (millions)
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Born abroad (all nationalities) ███████████████████ 9.6
Immigrants ████████████████ 7.97
Foreigners █████████████ 6.3
Immigrants of foreign nationality ███████████ 5.3
Immigrants who became French █████ 2.6
Foreigners born in France ██ 1.0
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| Population Metric | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Immigrants (thousands) | 7,309 | 7,749 | 7,970 |
| Immigrant share of population | 10.7% | 11.3% | 11.6% |
| Foreigners (thousands) | 5,635 | 6,046 | 6,297 |
| Foreigner share of population | 8.2% | 8.8% | 9.1% |
Source: INSEE, immigrant and foreign population by sex and age, 2023-2025 (2024 and 2025 provisional); Eurostat.
The immigrant population grew from 7.31 million in 2023 to 7.97 million in 2025, and its share rose from 10.7% to 11.6%. The foreign population rose from 5.64 million to 6.30 million, a share of 9.1%. INSEE estimates include people without legal status. The jump between 2023 and 2024 partly reflects a better census collection method, so the yearly changes should not be read as pure growth.
The 2025 breakdown clarifies what the labels mean. Of 7.97 million immigrants, 5.3 million hold foreign nationality and 2.6 million are French by acquisition. Another 1.0 million foreigners were born in France, mostly minors. Together, 9.6 million residents were born abroad, or 14% of the population. Foreigners made up 9.4% of France’s population at the start of 2025 against 9.5% across the EU, so France sits at the EU average.
France Immigrants by Country of Birth 2026 | Algeria, Morocco, Portugal and More
SHARE OF FRANCE'S IMMIGRANTS BY COUNTRY OF BIRTH, 2025 (each █ = 1 point)
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Algeria █████████████ 12.6%
Morocco ████████████ 11.7%
Portugal ███████ 7.2%
Tunisia █████ 4.9%
Italy ████ 3.5%
Turkey ████ 3.5%
Spain ███ 3.0%
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| Birthplace Metric | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| Algeria | 12.6% of immigrants |
| Morocco | 11.7% |
| Portugal | 7.2% |
| Tunisia | 4.9% |
| Italy and Turkey | 3.5% each |
| Spain | 3.0% |
| Born in Africa | 3.92 million, or 49.2% |
| Arrivals in 2024 born in Africa | 45.9%; 26.6% born in Europe |
Source: INSEE, L’essentiel sur les immigrés et les étrangers, 2025 estimates; INSEE immigrant population by birthplace, 2020-2025.
Algeria holds first place, with 12.6% of immigrants, followed closely by Morocco at 11.7%. Portugal ranks third at 7.2%, Tunisia fourth at 4.9%, and Italy and Turkey follow at 3.5% each, with Spain at 3.0%. The older Maghreb and southern European communities still dominate the stock, which reflects postwar labor migration.
Africa is the largest region. About 3.92 million immigrants, or 49.2%, were born there. The recent flow looks a little different: among immigrants who arrived in 2024, 45.9% were born in Africa and 26.6% in Europe. INSEE counted about 438,000 arrivals that year. Europe’s share of the stock is lower than its share of recent arrivals, which shows how origins have broadened over time.
France Immigrants by Region of Birth 2026 | INSEE Groups From 2020 to 2025
IMMIGRANTS IN FRANCE BY BIRTHPLACE GROUP, 2025 (thousands; each █ = 100)
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Africa ███████████████████████████████████████ 3,923
Other European countries ███████ 672
Other EU27 countries ███████ 658
Portugal ██████ 573
Spain and Italy █████ 512
Turkey and Middle East █████ 461
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| Birthplace Group (thousands) | 2020 | 2023 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Africa | 3,254 | 3,486 | 3,923 |
| Morocco and Tunisia (inside Africa) | 1,132 | 1,204 | 1,325 |
| Turkey and Middle East | 380 | 396 | 461 |
| Portugal | 589 | 579 | 573 |
| Spain and Italy | 522 | 516 | 512 |
| Other EU27 countries | 603 | 640 | 658 |
| Other European countries | 553 | 626 | 672 |
Source: INSEE, breakdown of immigrants by group of birth countries, 2006-2025 (2024 and 2025 provisional).
Africa drives the growth. The number of immigrants born there rose from 3.25 million in 2020 to 3.92 million in 2025, and the Morocco and Tunisia group alone grew from 1.13 million to 1.33 million. Immigrants born in Turkey and the Middle East rose from 380,000 to 461,000 over the same stretch. These groups are young communities with ongoing arrivals and family reunification.
The older European communities are flat or shrinking. Portugal slipped from 589,000 to 573,000, and Spain and Italy together eased from 522,000 to 512,000, as the generation that arrived after the war ages. Other EU27 countries grew from 603,000 to 658,000, and other European countries, including Ukraine and the Balkans, rose from 553,000 to 672,000. A sharp jump in the 2023 and 2024 figures partly reflects INSEE’s improved census collection, so small yearly moves deserve caution.
France Residence Permits 2026 | First Permits, Renewals and Humanitarian Growth
FIRST RESIDENCE PERMITS ISSUED IN FRANCE (each █ = 10,000)
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2021 ██████████████████████████████████████ 382,726
2022 █████████████████████████████████ 330,092
2023 ██████████████████████████████████ 340,019
2024 ███████████████████████████████████ 345,587
2025 ██████████████████████████████████████ 377,462
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| Permit Metric | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| First permits issued | 377,462, up 9.2% |
| First permits, January provisional estimate | 384,230, up 11.2% |
| Humanitarian first permits | Up 32,000 (revised), after +65% in the provisional count |
| Subsidiary protection permits | Up 133% (provisional) |
| Work-related share of first permits | 13%, down from 17% |
| Family of French nationals | 40,536, up 1.1% |
| Other family members | 32,117, down 9.7% |
| Renewals | 955,080, up 7.6% |
Source: French Interior Ministry, DGEF, Les titres de séjour en 2025 (provisional January 27, 2026 and revised June 2026).
The Interior Ministry first announced 384,230 first permits on January 27, 2026, and later revised the total to 377,462, a 9.2% rise from 345,587 in 2024. The number reached a high after a dip to 330,092 in 2022. All of the growth came from humanitarian reasons. Subsidiary protection permits more than doubled, up 133% in the provisional count, and refugee and stateless permits rose 44.5%.
Economic migration moved the other way. Work-related permits fell to 13% of first permits from 17%. Family permits were mixed: 40,536 went to relatives of French nationals (up 1.1%), while 32,117 went to other family members (down 9.7%). Renewals rose 7.6% to 955,080, and 4.47 million permits were valid on December 31, 2025, up 3.2%. First permits are only a small part of the overall flow.
France First Residence Permits by Nationality 2026 | Morocco, Algeria, Afghanistan and Ukraine
FIRST PERMITS BY NATIONALITY, 2025 (each █ = 2,000)
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Morocco ██████████████████ 36,100
Algeria ██████████████ 28,000
Tunisia ███████████ 21,100
Afghanistan █████████ 18,000
China ████████ 16,200
United States ████████ 15,000
Côte d'Ivoire ███████ 14,800
Ukraine ███████ 14,400
Cameroon █████ 10,900
Guinea █████ 10,900
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| Nationality | First Permits, 2025 | Change vs 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Moroccan | 36,100 | -2.3% |
| Algerian | 28,000 | -4.6% |
| Tunisian | 21,100 | -6.2% |
| Afghan | 18,000 | +45.8% |
| Chinese | 16,200 | +8.8% |
| American | 15,000 | +14.3% |
| Ivorian | 14,800 | +24.7% |
| Ukrainian | 14,400 | +306.4% |
| Cameroonian | 10,900 | +18.3% |
| Guinean | 10,900 | -3.1% |
Source: French Interior Ministry, DGEF, first residence permits by nationality, provisional 2025 data (January 27, 2026).
The three Maghreb countries lead but are shrinking. Morocco received 36,100 first permits (down 2.3%), Algeria 28,000 (down 4.6%) and Tunisia 21,100 (down 6.2%). The ten nationalities listed account for 48.3% of all first permits in the provisional count, down 1.0 point.
War and crisis drive the fastest growth. Ukrainians jumped 306.4% to 14,400 as temporary protection moved to longer permits, and Afghans rose 45.8% to 18,000. Ivorians grew 24.7%, Cameroonians 18.3% and Americans 14.3% to 15,000. The Chinese figure of 16,200 was up 8.8%. Guinea slipped 3.1% to 10,900. The list mixes humanitarian, student and family reasons, so a nationality’s rank says little about why people came.
France Visa Statistics 2026 | Short-Stay, Long-Stay and Student Visas
FRENCH VISAS IN 2025 (each █ = 100,000)
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Applications ███████████████████████████████████ 3,524,108
Visas issued ██████████████████████████████ 2,958,913
Short-stay visas ███████████████████████████ 2,666,415
Tourist visas ████████████████████ 2,040,549
Refusals █████ 542,227
Long-stay visas ███ 290,845
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| Visa Metric | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| Visa applications | 3,524,108, up 1.1% |
| Visas issued | 2,958,913, up 3.5% |
| Refusals | 542,227, down 6.3% |
| Short-stay visas | 2,666,415, up 3.9% |
| Long-stay visas | 290,845, up 1.0% |
| Long-stay student visas | 117,766, up 7.5% |
| Top nationality, all visas | China, 557,412 (down 0.9%) |
| Next nationalities | Morocco 300,117, India 239,357, Algeria 204,248 |
Source: French Interior Ministry, DGEF, visa statistics 2025, provisional data of January 27, 2026.
Visa growth slowed in 2025. France received 3,524,108 applications, up 1.1%, and issued 2,958,913 visas, up 3.5%, compared with a 16.8% jump in issuances in 2024. Short-stay visas made up 2,666,415 of the total, led by tourism at 2,040,549 (up 6.4%). Refusals fell 6.3% to 542,227. Long-stay visas edged up 1.0% to 290,845, and 172,248 of them were visas that double as residence permits.
Students are the long-stay growth story. France issued 117,766 long-stay student visas, up 7.5%, while work visas for employees fell 15.9%. China remains the top visa nationality at 557,412, followed by Morocco (300,117, up 6.1%), India (239,357), Algeria (204,248, down 18.3%) and Saudi Arabia (194,706, up 26.5%). The UK granted 407,000 sponsored study visas in 2025, as the UK student visa statistics report shows, so the UK grants far more study visas, though the two countries count them differently.
France Asylum Statistics 2026 | Applications, OFPRA Decisions and Top Nationalities
FIRST ASYLUM APPLICATIONS IN FRANCE (each █ = 5,000)
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2021 █████████████████████ 104,381
2022 ███████████████████████████ 136,724
2023 █████████████████████████████ 145,160
2024 ██████████████████████████ 129,909
2025 ███████████████████████ 116,944
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| Asylum Metric | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| First applications | 116,944, down 10.0% |
| All applications at GUDA | 152,904, down 3.0% |
| Applications registered at OFPRA | 145,270, down 5.5% |
| OFPRA first-instance grants | 63,594, up 16.8%, a record |
| CNDA appeal decisions | 53,086, down 13.8% |
| Total protection decisions | 78,782, up 12.1% |
| Top first-request nationality | Ukraine, 11,677 |
| Next nationalities | DR Congo 11,553, Afghanistan 11,394, Haiti 6,409 |
Source: French Interior Ministry, DGEF, Les demandes d’asile en 2025; OFPRA; European Commission data cited by Deutsche Welle, April 2026.
Asylum demand is falling from its 2023 peak of 145,160 first applications. In 2025 first requests dropped 10.0% to 116,944, and total applications dropped 3.0% to 152,904, a decline the ministry links to a Europe-wide fall after 2023. Reexaminations rose 27.3% to 35,189. Ukrainians still lead the first applications with 11,677, followed by Congolese (11,553, up 24.3%) and Afghans (11,394, up 11.1%). Haitians (6,409) and Sudanese (5,844) follow.
Decisions went the other way. OFPRA granted protection in 63,594 first-instance cases, up 16.8% and a record, and the combined total with the appeals court reached 78,782, up 12.1%. Nearly half of applicants received protection. France still topped the EU in Q1 2026 with 34,643 applications, ahead of Spain at 32,630 and Italy at 32,602. Britain recorded 82,140 applications in 2025, per the asylum statistics in the UK report, so France logs far more claims, though the two countries count applicants differently.
France Citizenship and Removal Statistics 2026 | Naturalizations, Integration Contracts and Departures
CITIZENSHIP, INTEGRATION AND REMOVALS IN 2025 (each █ = 5,000)
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Integration contracts signed ████████████████████ 102,871
New French citizens ████████████▌ 62,235
By decree ████████▌ 42,246
Removals, all types █████ 24,985
By marriage declaration ███▌ 17,579
Forced removals ███ 15,569
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| Citizenship and Removal Metric | 2025 Data |
|---|---|
| New French citizens | 62,235, down 6.8% |
| Acquisitions by decree | 42,246, down 13.5% |
| Acquisitions by marriage declaration | 17,579, up 10.5% |
| Acquisitions as relatives of French citizens | 2,410, up 20.1% |
| Republican integration contracts signed | 102,871, down 10.1% |
| Removals, all types | 24,985, up 15.7% |
| Forced removals | 15,569, up 21.1% |
Source: French Interior Ministry, DGEF, access to nationality, integration and removal statistics, 2025 provisional data.
Fewer foreigners became French in 2025. A total of 62,235 people acquired nationality, down 6.8%, and naturalizations by decree fell 13.5% to 42,246, including children covered by a parent’s case. Marriage declarations bucked the trend, up 10.5% to 17,579, and acquisitions by relatives of French citizens rose 20.1% to 2,410. Officials tightened language and integration requirements, which helps explain the drop in decrees.
Removals rose. France carried out 24,985 removals of foreigners without legal status, up 15.7%, and forced removals climbed 21.1% to 15,569. The count of 102,871 signed integration contracts fell 10.1%. Definitions differ across countries, but the deportation statistics in the UK report shows the UK recorded 9,914 enforced returns in 2025, so France’s forced removals ran higher in absolute terms.
France Immigration vs the EU 2026 | Immigrant Population and Asylum Share
IMMIGRANT POPULATION IN THE EU (millions; each █ = 2 million)
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EU total, 2010 ████████████████████ 40.0
EU total, 2025 ████████████████████████████████ 64.2
Germany, 2025 █████████ nearly 18
Spain, 2025 ████▌ 9.5
France, 2025 (INSEE) ████ 7.97
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| EU Comparison Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Immigrants living in the EU, 2025 | 64.2 million, up about 2.1 million |
| Immigrants living in the EU, 2010 | 40 million |
| Germany, immigrant population | Nearly 18 million, 72% of working age |
| Spain, immigrant population | 9.5 million, up about 700,000 |
| Share of EU first-instance asylum claims, 2025 | Nearly three-quarters in Spain, Italy, France and Germany |
| Asylum applications, Q1 2026, France | 34,643, the highest in the EU |
| Asylum applications, Q1 2026, Spain and Italy | 32,630 and 32,602 |
| Germany’s rank in Q1 2026 asylum claims | Fourth, the first time since 2015 |
Source: Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration (CReAM) at RFBerlin, April 2026, citing Eurostat and UNHCR; European Commission report cited by Deutsche Welle, April 20, 2026.
France sits in the middle of a growing European story. The EU counted 64.2 million immigrants in 2025, up from 40 million in 2010 and about 2.1 million higher than a year earlier. Germany hosts the most at nearly 18 million, and Spain grew fastest, adding about 700,000 to reach 9.5 million. France’s 7.97 million immigrants, measured by INSEE’s definition, is smaller than both in absolute terms, and the CReAM report places France broadly in line with the EU average share.
Asylum is concentrated. Spain, Italy, France and Germany received nearly three-quarters of all first-instance claims in the EU in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, France led with 34,643 applications, followed by Spain with 32,630 and Italy with 32,602. Germany dropped to fourth for the first time since 2015, after tightening its rules in February 2026. Venezuelans, Afghans and Bangladeshis made up the largest share of applicants, while Syrian and Ukrainian claims declined.
France Immigration Statistics FAQs 2026
How many immigrants live in France in 2026?
INSEE counts 7.97 million immigrants in 2025, or 11.6% of the population. About 2.6 million of them have become French citizens.
How many foreigners live in France?
INSEE puts the foreign population at 6.3 million in 2025, or 9.1% of residents. That compares with 9.5% across the EU.
What is the difference between an immigrant and a foreigner in France?
An immigrant is born foreign abroad, even if later naturalized. A foreigner holds foreign nationality, including about 1 million people born in France.
Which country do most immigrants in France come from?
Algeria, with 12.6% of immigrants, followed by Morocco at 11.7%, Portugal at 7.2% and Tunisia at 4.9%.
How many first residence permits did France issue in 2025?
The Interior Ministry issued 377,462, up 9.2% from 345,587 in 2024. A provisional January estimate had put the number at 384,230.
Which nationalities get the most residence permits in France?
Moroccans (36,100), Algerians (28,000) and Tunisians (21,100) lead the first permits, followed by Afghans at 18,000.
How many visas does France issue each year?
France issued 2,958,913 visas in 2025, up 3.5%, including 2,666,415 short-stay and 290,845 long-stay visas.
How many asylum applications did France receive in 2025?
France received 152,904 applications, down 3.0%, including 116,944 first requests, down 10.0%.
Which nationality applies for asylum most in France?
Ukrainians, with 11,677 first applications in 2025, ahead of Congolese (11,553) and Afghans (11,394).
How many people got asylum in France in 2025?
OFPRA granted protection in 63,594 first-instance decisions, a record, and the total with appeals reached 78,782.
How many people became French citizens in 2025?
62,235 people, down 6.8%. Decree naturalizations fell 13.5% to 42,246.
How many people did France remove in 2025?
France carried out 24,985 removals, up 15.7%, including 15,569 forced removals, up 21.1%.
Where are most immigrants in France born?
About 3.92 million immigrants, or 49.2%, were born in Africa, according to INSEE’s 2025 estimates. Europe accounts for most of the rest.
Is the number of immigrants in France growing?
Yes. INSEE counted 7.31 million in 2023, 7.75 million in 2024 and 7.97 million in 2025. The share rose from 10.7% to 11.6%.
Are fewer Portuguese immigrants living in France?
Slightly. The Portuguese-born group fell from 589,000 in 2020 to 573,000 in 2025, as older arrivals age.
Which EU country has the most immigrants?
Germany, with nearly 18 million in 2025, followed by Spain at 9.5 million, according to the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration.
Which nationality saw the fastest rise in French residence permits?
Ukrainians, up 306.4% to 14,400 first permits in 2025, followed by Afghans at +45.8% and Ivorians at +24.7%.
What share of French residence permits are for work?
Work-related permits made up 13% of first permits in 2025, down from 17% in 2024.
How many residence permits are valid in France?
The Interior Ministry counted 4.47 million valid permits on December 31, 2025, up 3.2% in a year.
How many foreign students does France admit?
France issued 117,766 long-stay student visas in 2025, up 7.5%, according to the Interior Ministry’s provisional data.
Who publishes official France immigration statistics?
INSEE publishes population and birthplace data, and the Interior Ministry’s immigration directorate publishes permits, visas, asylum, citizenship and removals each year.
How many people in France were born abroad?
About 9.6 million, or 14% of residents, including immigrants and French citizens born abroad.
Does France have more asylum applications than Germany?
In Q1 2026 France recorded 34,643 applications, the highest in the EU, and Germany fell to fourth place for the first time since 2015.
How many immigrants live in the EU?
The Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration counted 64.2 million immigrants in the EU in 2025, up about 2.1 million from a year earlier.
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