Immigrant-Friendly Countries in 2026: How the Rankings Are Shaped
Immigration is one of the defining forces shaping economies, demographics, and societies across the 21st century, and in 2026 the competition among wealthy nations to attract skilled, motivated immigrants has never been more intense or more strategically designed. The United Nations estimates that 281 million people now live outside their country of birth — representing 3.6% of the world’s total population — and the countries that welcome and integrate these individuals well are gaining lasting economic and demographic advantages. But “immigrant-friendly” means different things in different contexts. It can mean the easiest pathway to permanent residency, the highest quality of life for newcomers, the most welcoming social environment, or the strongest integration infrastructure. In 2026, no single country tops every measure — but the data consistently highlights a cluster of nations that perform well across all of them.
According to the Remitly Immigration Index 2026 — the most comprehensive publicly available ranking of its kind, covering 82 countries across 34 indicators including earnings, healthcare quality, safety, migrant acceptance, environmental quality, transportation, and immigrant community strength — Switzerland has claimed the top spot as the most immigrant-friendly country in the world in 2026, rising from second place in 2025. Iceland, Luxembourg, Australia, Germany, Ireland, the United States, Denmark, Norway, and Spain round out the top 10. Separately, Germany leads the HSBC Expat Survey as the best country for expat workers, with the United Kingdom second and the UAE third. Together, these rankings paint a picture of where immigrants are most likely to find not just legal access but genuine quality of life, economic opportunity, and a welcoming social environment in 2026.
Key Facts: Most Immigrant-Friendly Countries in 2026
IMMIGRANT-FRIENDLY COUNTRIES — KEY INDICATORS SNAPSHOT (2026)
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Remitly Index Top 3 (2026):
#1 Switzerland ████████████████████████████████ High wages, safety, integration
#2 Iceland ████████████████████████████████ Quality of life, stability
#3 Luxembourg ████████████████████████████████ Wealth, multilingual, small pop.
Foreign-Born Share of Population (approx.):
Switzerland ████████████████████████████████ 31.1% (highest OECD)
Australia ████████████████████████████ ~30%
New Zealand ████████████████████████ ~27%
Canada ████████████████████ ~23%
Germany ████████████████ ~16 million immigrants (2nd globally)
► 281 million people live outside country of birth globally (UN, 2026)
| Key Fact | Data Point |
|---|---|
| People living outside country of birth globally (2026) | 281 million — 3.6% of world population |
| #1 most immigrant-friendly country (Remitly Index 2026) | Switzerland |
| Top 10 (Remitly Index 2026) | Switzerland, Iceland, Luxembourg, Australia, Germany, Ireland, USA, Denmark, Norway, Spain |
| #1 for expat workers (HSBC Expat Survey 2026) | Germany — career progression, work-life balance, job security |
| Country with highest foreign-born share among OECD nations | Switzerland — 31.1% foreign-born population |
| Country with most immigrants by absolute number | United States — by far the world’s largest immigrant population |
| Germany’s immigrant population | ~16 million — second largest in the world after the US |
| Countries where US, Canada, Australia, NZ dominate | Classic “settlement countries” — all have permanent residency granted upon arrival pathways |
| Permanent migration to OECD countries (2024) | 6.2 million new permanent immigrants — 15% above 2019 levels despite 4% dip from 2023 |
| OECD country with most asylum applications (2024) | United States — 3.2 million pending claims (more than half of all OECD claims) |
| Most family-friendly country for migrants (Remitly 2026) | Spain — affordable childcare, parental leave, education system |
| US ranking in Remitly Index 2026 | 7th overall |
Source: Remitly Immigration Index 2026 (82 countries, 34 indicators); HSBC Expat Survey 2026; OECD International Migration Outlook 2025; UN Population Division; Global Migration Report 2026 (wheretoemigrate.io)
These headline numbers reflect a world where immigration policy has simultaneously become more sophisticated and more contested. The 6.2 million new permanent immigrants who settled in OECD countries in 2024 — a figure that is still 15% above pre-pandemic 2019 levels despite a modest 4% dip from the 2023 peak — confirm that the fundamental drivers of international migration (labor demand, demographic aging, educational opportunity, safety) remain powerful. The countries that make it to the top of immigrant-friendliness rankings are not simply the ones with the most open doors — they are the ones that combine accessible legal pathways with high wages, functioning public services, strong rule of law, and communities where newcomers can build a real life rather than merely find employment.
Switzerland’s position at the top of the 2026 Remitly ranking reflects a combination of factors that few countries can replicate: one of the world’s highest wage levels, a stable and prosperous economy, an advanced healthcare system, low crime rates, exceptional natural environment, and a highly developed immigrant community that already constitutes 31.1% of the population — the highest foreign-born share of any OECD country. Newcomers to Switzerland are entering a society that has been multilingual and multicultural by necessity and design for generations. Germany’s leadership in the HSBC expat ranking reflects its enormous labor market, the progressive reforms of its Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card) visa launched in 2024, and the EU Blue Card expansion that has positioned it as the most significant single destination for skilled migrants in Europe.
Top 10 Most Immigrant-Friendly Countries Rankings in 2026
REMITLY IMMIGRATION INDEX 2026 — TOP 10 RANKINGS
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#1 Switzerland ████████████████████████████████ Wages, safety, integration
#2 Iceland ███████████████████████████████ Quality of life, stability
#3 Luxembourg ██████████████████████████████ Wealth, multilingual
#4 Australia █████████████████████████████ Settlement country, lifestyle
#5 Germany ████████████████████████████ Labor market, Blue Card reforms
#6 Ireland ███████████████████████████ English-speaking, EU access
#7 USA ██████████████████████████ Scale, opportunity, diversity
#8 Denmark █████████████████████████ Social welfare, quality of life
#9 Norway ████████████████████████ High wages, safety
#10 Spain ███████████████████████ Family-friendly, lifestyle, climate
Index covers 82 countries, 34 indicators
► New entrants 2026: Germany and Spain (first time in top 10)
| Rank | Country | Key Strengths for Immigrants | Notable 2026 Development |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Switzerland | Highest wages, safety, healthcare, 31.1% foreign-born | Rose from #2 in 2025; immigrant community density highest in OECD |
| #2 | Iceland | Exceptional quality of life, stability, small stable population | Consistent performer; strong social systems |
| #3 | Luxembourg | Highest GDP per capita in EU, multilingual workforce, compact economy | 50%+ of tertiary students are international |
| #4 | Australia | Classic settlement country; pathway to PR upon arrival; lifestyle | Strong Trans-Tasman migration growth in 2024 |
| #5 | Germany | 16 million immigrants (2nd globally); Chancenkarte visa; Blue Card | First time in top 10; overtook Canada as 2nd immigration destination |
| #6 | Ireland | English-speaking; EU member; technology sector boom | Strong skilled worker demand |
| #7 | USA | World’s largest immigrant population; unmatched scale of opportunity | 3.2 million pending asylum claims; permanent migration up 20% in 2024 |
| #8 | Denmark | High wages, social welfare, safety | Strong Nordic integration model |
| #9 | Norway | Excellent wages, work-life balance, safety, natural environment | High standard of living consistently |
| #10 | Spain | Best family-friendly destination for migrants; lifestyle; climate | First time in top 10; parental leave expansion from 2026 |
Source: Remitly Immigration Index 2026; OECD International Migration Outlook 2025; Global Migration Report 2026; wheretoemigrate.io
The composition of the 2026 top 10 reflects a genuinely interesting shift in the immigrant-friendly rankings. Germany and Spain’s first-ever appearances in the top 10 signal that both countries have undergone meaningful structural changes in how they attract and accommodate immigrants. Germany’s transformation from a notoriously bureaucratic immigration destination into one of Europe’s most active recruiters of skilled workers — driven by the Chancenkarte visa allowing individuals to enter Germany to look for work without a pre-arranged job offer, and expanded EU Blue Card provisions — has repositioned it as a flagship European destination. The country’s ~16 million immigrant residents already make it the second-largest absolute immigrant-receiving country in the world after the United States.
Spain’s rise into the top 10, propelled largely by its recognition as the most family-friendly country for migrants, reflects a combination of affordable childcare, generous parental leave (with further expansion scheduled for 2026), a strong international school network, and a high quality of life that draws both skilled workers and retirees. The continued dominance of Switzerland, Iceland, and Luxembourg at the very top reflects a fundamental truth about immigrant-friendliness at the elite level: these are small-to-medium wealthy nations with highly developed social infrastructure, high wages, and already-large immigrant communities that make integration smoother and less isolating for newcomers.
Foreign-Born Population Share by Country in 2026
FOREIGN-BORN SHARE OF POPULATION — KEY COUNTRIES (2026)
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Switzerland ████████████████████████████████ 31.1% (highest OECD)
Australia ███████████████████████████████ ~30%
New Zealand ████████████████████████████ ~27%
Canada █████████████████████ ~23%
Germany █████████████ ~19%
Sweden ████████████ ~19%
USA ███████████ ~14%
UK ██████████ ~14%
Spain █████████ ~12%
France ████████ ~12%
Global foreign-born share: ~3.7% (2024)
OECD typical range: 10–25%
| Country | Foreign-Born Population Share | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | ~31.1% | Highest among OECD countries; 83% of foreigners are European |
| Australia | ~30% | Classic “settlement country”; among highest globally among advanced economies |
| New Zealand | ~27% | High foreign-born share; strong Trans-Tasman and Pacific migration links |
| Canada | ~23% | Key destination for skilled migrants and humanitarian admissions |
| Germany | ~19% | ~16 million foreign-born residents; second largest absolute number globally |
| Sweden | ~19% | High historical intake, though recent policy tightening |
| United States | ~14% | World’s largest absolute immigrant population in total numbers |
| United Kingdom | ~14% | Sharp decline in 2024 post-record highs; policy tightening |
| Spain | ~12% | Rising; growing draw for Latin Americans and northern Europeans |
| Global average | ~3.7% | Immigrants remain a relatively small share of world population |
Source: UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024; OECD International Migration Outlook 2025; Visual Capitalist Migration Ranking 2025; Wikipedia/Statistics Switzerland 2023 data
The foreign-born population share is one of the most telling indicators of how deeply immigration is woven into a country’s social fabric. Switzerland’s 31.1% figure is extraordinary — nearly one in three people living in Switzerland was born abroad, yet the country consistently ranks among the world’s most stable, prosperous, and well-functioning societies. This is not a coincidence. Switzerland has developed sophisticated integration infrastructure precisely because managing a large foreign-born population is a structural feature of its economy and labor market, not an exception. The country’s multilingual culture — with four official national languages — has also created a more naturally accommodating environment for newcomers from across Europe and the world.
Australia and New Zealand follow closely in the 25–30% range, reflecting their historical status as explicitly “settlement countries” — nations that consciously built their modern identities around immigration and have maintained structured, well-resourced immigration programs for generations. Canada at 23% sits in a similar category. The United States, despite having the world’s largest absolute immigrant population in numerical terms, has a relatively modest 14% foreign-born share due to its enormous total population — yet it remains the single most sought-after immigration destination globally in terms of application volumes and pending cases. The 3.2 million pending asylum claims in the US at end-2024 — more than half of all OECD asylum applications — reflects both the scale of interest in moving to the US and the extraordinary backlogs in its immigration processing system.
Easiest Countries to Immigrate to in 2026
EASIEST COUNTRIES TO IMMIGRATE TO — KEY PATHWAYS (2026)
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Portugal ████████████████████████ D7 visa, D8 digital nomad, Golden Visa
Mexico █████████████████████ Low barriers, affordable, temporary residency
Germany ████████████████████ Chancenkarte, 12 ways to residency
Canada ████████████████████ Express Entry, PNP, multiple streams
New Zealand ████████████████ Skilled migrant, accredited employer
Australia ████████████████ Skilled migration, Points-tested stream
Spain ███████████████ Non-lucrative visa, digital nomad visa
Lithuania ██████████████ 12 pathways (tied with Germany, Latvia)
Latvia ██████████████ 12 pathways; lower cost of living in EU
► "Easiest" = most pathways + lowest barriers + clearest process
| Country | Why It’s Among the Easiest | Key Immigration Route(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Portugal | Clear programs, EU access, welcoming culture; ranked most welcoming by InterNations | D7 Passive Income Visa, Digital Nomad Visa (D8), updated Golden Visa |
| Mexico | Lowest financial barriers; straightforward temporary residency; large expat community | Temporary resident visa, retirement visa |
| Germany | Most residency pathways in Europe (12 ways); active skilled worker recruitment | Chancenkarte Opportunity Card, EU Blue Card, skilled worker visa |
| Canada | Points-based system; multiple streams; clear criteria | Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs, Atlantic Immigration Program |
| New Zealand | Accredited Employer Work Visa; skilled migrant category; Pacific-friendly | Accredited Employer Work Visa, Skilled Migrant Category |
| Australia | Long-established skilled and family migration system | Points-tested Skilled Migration, employer-sponsored, humanitarian |
| Spain | Non-Lucrative Visa popular for retirees; digital nomad visa live | Non-Lucrative Visa, Digital Nomad Visa (Startup Act), family reunification |
| Lithuania / Latvia | 12 available pathways — tied with Germany for most in Europe | EU residency rights; startup visa; skilled worker; student-to-residency |
Source: Astons.com Easiest Countries to Immigrate to 2026; Immigrant Invest 2026; GreenTree Immigration 2026; OECD IMO 2025; InterNations Expat Insider
The distinction between the most immigrant-friendly countries and the easiest to immigrate to is important, and the two lists do not always overlap. Portugal consistently tops the “easiest” category in 2026 — not because it has the most permissive rules, but because it combines a well-structured range of clearly defined visa options with a genuinely welcoming culture. The D7 Passive Income Visa for those with sufficient savings or remote income, the D8 Digital Nomad Visa, and the revised Golden Visa provide clear pathways for retirees, remote workers, and investors respectively. Portugal has also been repeatedly recognized by the InterNations community of international residents as the most welcoming country for newcomers in terms of local friendliness and ease of settling in.
Germany’s transformation is one of the most significant immigration policy stories of 2025–2026. The country now offers 12 distinct pathways to residency — tied with Lithuania and Latvia for the most in Europe, and more than countries like Belgium, the Netherlands, or Slovenia which offer seven or fewer. The Chancenkarte, which allows skilled professionals to enter Germany and job-search in-country for up to a year without a pre-arranged position, is a genuinely novel policy tool that has attracted significant interest globally. Canada’s Express Entry system remains one of the most transparent and merit-based immigration frameworks anywhere, though competition has intensified and minimum score requirements have risen as application volumes continue to grow. For families and individuals making the life-changing decision to immigrate in 2026, the overarching message from the data is clear: the countries that welcome immigrants most effectively are also, consistently, the ones that benefit most from their contributions.
Immigrant-Friendly Countries — Additional Key Statistics in 2026
ADDITIONAL DATA POINTS — IMMIGRATION 2026
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Global permanent migration to OECD (2024) 6.2 million (15% above 2019)
US permanent migration increase 2024 +20% (vs. other countries declining)
US pending asylum claims (end-2024) 3.2 million (>50% of OECD total)
OECD countries with 20%+ intl doctoral stud. Austria, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg,
NZ, Switzerland, UK
New seasonal/holiday workers (OECD 2024) +8% growth
Countries with 40%+ doctoral-level intl stud. Same cluster above
Germany: migrants admitted 2024 274,000 (EU free movement)
Spain: permanent migration 2024 Only ‑2% decline (held up vs peers)
► Source: OECD International Migration Outlook 2025
| Statistic | Data Point |
|---|---|
| Total new permanent immigrants to OECD countries (2024) | 6.2 million — down 4% from 2023 but 15% above 2019 levels |
| Country with largest permanent migration increase (2024) | United States — +20% while most OECD countries declined |
| OECD country with over 50% international tertiary students | Luxembourg — more than half of all tertiary students are international |
| Countries with 20–27% international tertiary students | Australia, Austria, Canada, Switzerland, UK |
| Countries where 40%+ of doctoral students are international | Austria, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Switzerland, UK |
| New seasonal workers / working holidaymakers (OECD 2024) | +8% growth — one of the strongest immigration category gains |
| Most multilingual EU immigration framework | Germany, Lithuania, Latvia — tied at 12 residency pathways each |
| Belgium / Netherlands / Slovenia pathways | Only 7 or fewer pathways — far fewer options than top destinations |
| Family migration as share of permanent OECD migration | Leading reason for permanent migration across OECD countries |
Source: OECD International Migration Outlook 2025; IOM World Migration Report 2026; Remitly Immigration Index 2026; immigrantinvest.com 2026
The OECD International Migration Outlook 2025 data provides a crucial quantitative backbone to understanding which countries are genuinely receiving and integrating immigrants in significant numbers, versus those that rank highly on cultural openness but operate restrictive legal systems. The United States’ 20% increase in permanent migration in 2024 — against a backdrop of declining numbers elsewhere — reflects both its continued unmatched scale of opportunity and the processing of a large backlog of applications. Luxembourg’s position as having more than 50% of its tertiary students be international is extraordinary for an EU member state, reflecting the Grand Duchy’s role as a financial and legal hub that draws talent from across Europe and beyond.
Perhaps the single most important overarching fact from the 2026 data is this: family migration remains the leading reason for permanent migration across OECD countries. Despite all the policy focus on skilled workers, points-based systems, and economic migrants, the fundamental driver of permanent immigration to wealthy countries is the human desire to be reunited with family — a driver that no amount of policy engineering fully suppresses. The most immigrant-friendly countries in 2026 are those that have understood this reality and built immigration systems that honor it, while also creating the labor market pathways, integration services, and social infrastructure to make new arrivals genuine contributors to the societies they join.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.