Who are the migrants living in the EU? Who has arrived here over the past 10 years? And to what extent have these migrants integrated? This paper provides answers based on the data on foreign-born residents, first residence permit data, statistics on first asylum requests and information on temporary protection for Ukrainians. It includes a number of novel data breakdowns.

The main finding is that over the past 10 years, about 50% of all people immigrating to the EU have been admitted for humanitarian reasons. Some 27% arrived as marriage migrants or for family reunion purposes. The number of those admitted for employment was just 17%. Notably, a third of all immigrants coming to the EU during the past 10 years arrived in 2022.

The paper shows that labour market outcomes depend to some extent on the structure of migration flows. Mobile EU citizens usually move for reasons of employment. Third-country nationals residing in the EU have much lower employment rates and a significantly higher risk of working below their skill level. Those third-country nationals admitted as refugees, for family reunion reasons or as marriage migrants are less likely to integrate into EU labour markets. This is particularly true for female migrants.

Throughout the EU, native workforces are shrinking. Migrants can only compensate for the emerging gaps if their talents and skills are compatible with Europe’s needs. This necessitates the admission of non-EU migrants based on their skills acquired abroad and a rapid recognition of these skills, or the massive retraining of migrants who do not meet the necessary criteria. In any case, European societies will have to put more emphasis on the integration of migrants and their EU-born children.