Migration is 1 of the leading themes of the Polish electoral run before the presidential election. Most often, the image of migration as a challenge, a problem and even a threat to Poles (especially Poles) enters the media. So let's get the facts straight.
Thesis of emerging media: Europe is flooded by migrants – men from far distant countries culturally.
Facts: if we look at global numbers, Europe is the first mark of migrants, but it is mostly the consequence of the migration of Europeans themselves. Including Poles! More than half of immigrants in Europe are women.
- According to data published by the planet Organisation of Migration (IMO) in mid-2024, there were 304 million global migrants (that's more than 8 times the population of Poland). According to the UN, a migrant is simply a individual who has left his country of residence. It does not substance the reason for departure and legal position (i.e. these numbers besides include illegal migration). So defined migrants make up 3.7% of the world's population. Additionally, 75.9 million people had to relocate within their country, for example due to conflict or natural disaster.
- 48% of migrants worldwide are women/girls. 13% of children under the age of 18 (2020 UNICEF data).
- What is Europe like against this background? By mid-2024, the number of global migrants in Europe was 86.4 million (this is somewhat more than the full population of Germany, which is now around 84 million).
- However, the UN migration statistic include Russia as a whole. Hence, Europe has a figure of 94.1 million. It is worth noting that 51.5% of these migrants are women. It is actual that for many years there has been a growth trend in migration, and migrants already account for 12.6% of the population of the European continent. In addition, we have over 4 million people in Europe who have moved within their country (data at the end of 2023). In many cases, specified people could besides go to emigration, but they did not decide for it.
- When we look closely, 48% of migrants in Europe are Europeans! Eastern Europe (28%), confederate Europe (10%), Western Europe (6%) and North Europe (4%). Asians account for 21% of migrants in Europe, Africans 11%, Latin American and Caribbean 7%, North American 1%, and Oceania under 1%. In comparison, Europeans account for 25% of the migrants in Oceania and 11% in North America, so we are besides "watering" another continents.
- According to data published by the IMO since mid-2020, most migrants in the planet have received the USA, Germany (16.8 million), Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom (12 million) and France (9.2 million). By comparison, according to the same data, there are 2 million in Poland (including 59.5% of women).
- How are things at European Union level? On 1 January 2024, there were 449.3 million people (Eurostat data) surviving in the Union, of which 17.9 million were born in a different EU country than that in which they lived (4%), and 44.7 million (9.9%) were born outside the EU. any of these people have acquired the nationality of a associate State, as only 29 million third-country nationals live in the EU.
- According to Eurostat data, in only 2023 migrations between EU countries amounted to over 1.5 million people (no later data; it was not specified whether all migrants were EU citizens).
- According to Eurostat data for 1 January 2024, there are 32,400 citizens from another EU countries and 397,200 citizens from non-EU countries residing in Poland. To this number should be added excluded from migration statistic of Ukrainians covered by temporary protection in Poland (run by war). In our country, 993,000 specified persons were registered (data of the Office for Foreigners, publication of February 2025).
- Poles besides usage the anticipation of leaving. In 2023 almost 100,000 people (Eurostat) moved to another EU countries. So Włocławek or Wałbrzych left. Let us remind that erstwhile Poland entered the European Union on 1 May 2004, Poles were eager to usage the chance to work in another associate States (especially in Ireland and the United Kingdom, which immediately opened up their labour marketplace for us). In Ireland there are more than 106,000 people born in Poland (data of the Central Statistical Office there, CSO – census in 2022). According to Eurostat data for January 1, 2024, there are 100,200 people born in Poland in Sweden, 189,000 in the Netherlands. In Germany there are 741 800 people with Polish citizenship. Norway has 110,200 people born in Poland and 22,400 in Iceland.
- According to the 2021 census in the United Kingdom, there were 682,000 people born in Poland (ONS data, British National Statistical Office). On the another hand, as a consequence of the mass influx of immigrants (not only Poles) into the islands, in the early 2000s, information about disappearing swans and rumors began to appear in the British media, that foreigners (including Poles) ate them. British reluctance to immigrants was 1 of the reasons why they voted for brexit.
- The country in the EU with the largest population participation is without a uncertainty Luxembourg, with 47.3% of the population (data of Luxembourg statistic Office LUSTAT) being foreigners at the end of 2024. Only 22.7% of these foreigners are non-EU. Let us remind you that Luxembourg is 1 of the 3 capitals of the EU, for example the EU Court of Justice.
Joanna Różycka – Thiriet
European expert
Source:
https://www.migrationdataportal.org/key-figures
https://www.migrationdataportal.org/themes/international-migrant-stocks-overview
https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/definitions
https://ruj.edu.pl/server/api/core/bitstreams/90875923-70c2-4029-a71f-9a0e2df550cf/content
https://www.gov.pl/web/udsc/citizens-Ukrainians-in-Poland–current-data-migration2
