In 2024, the Netherlands had 2.2 million residents with a non Dutch passport and 18.9% of the population had a migration background. The figures also show 120,000 Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection by the end of 2023 and a net migration rate of 2.5% in 2023. This article brings those trends together across population, asylum, work, and public spending.
Key Takeaways
- Of the 1.7 million foreign-born residents, 0.9 million were born in Europe and 0.8 million in other regions in 2024
- In 2022, the Netherlands resettled 8,000 persons
- The Netherlands had 120,000 Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection by end of 2023
- The Netherlands had 2.2 million residents with a non-Dutch passport in 2024 (meaning the non-Dutch nationality stock)
- 18.9% of the Dutch population had a migration background in 2024 (meaning about 1 in 5 residents), according to the share of people with at least one parent born abroad
- 2.5% net migration rate in 2023 (meaning net international migration added about 2.5 people per 100 residents during the year)
- 2.3 million international migrants (foreign-born) living in the Netherlands in 2020 (meaning about 2.3 million residents were born abroad)
- The Netherlands received 56,900 asylum applications in 2015 (a peak year) (meaning 56.9k people applied for asylum that year)
- The Netherlands granted 11,500 subsidiary protection statuses in 2023 (meaning alternative protection grants)
- 8% of the labour force are foreign-born in the Netherlands (share of foreign-born workers), indicating foreign-born residents contribute 8% of employed labour
- 63% employment rate for non-Western migrants in the Netherlands in 2022 (meaning non-Western migrants were employed at a rate of 63%)
- 5-year refugee employment gap in the Netherlands averaged 25 percentage points in 2015–2019 (meaning refugees had employment rates roughly 25 pp lower than comparable natives)
- The Netherlands spent €4.9 billion on migrant-related social expenditures in 2020 (meaning government spending for migrant and integration-related programmes and costs)
- The Netherlands reported €280 million expenditure on reception and integration of asylum seekers in 2021 (meaning government spending for reception/integration support that year)
- €14.5 billion inward foreign direct investment (FDI) stock linked to the Netherlands’ migration-friendly economy in 2023 (meaning inbound FDI stock associated with labour-market openness)
In 2024, 1 in 5 residents in the Netherlands had a migration background, driven by high foreign-born settlement.
Related reading
01 · Category
Economic Impact4 stats
01
€14.5 billion inward foreign direct investment (FDI) stock linked to the Netherlands’ migration-friendly economy in 2023 (meaning inbound FDI stock associated with labour-market openness)
02
$9.1 billion remittances sent from the Netherlands in 2023 (meaning Dutch residents with migrant backgrounds remitted about $9.1B abroad)
03
3.7 million people in the Netherlands held EU citizenship or were EU migrants in 2023 (meaning a large share of residents with cross-border mobility)
04
The Netherlands had 166,000 refugees and asylum seekers benefiting from protection statuses in 2023 (meaning total protected population under asylum/refugee schemes)
Interpretation
Economic Impact Interpretation
In the Netherlands, migration’s economic impact is reflected in 2023 by a large inward FDI stock of €14.5 billion tied to the country’s migration-friendly economy alongside $9.1 billion in remittances sent abroad, showing how cross-border mobility is simultaneously attracting investment and fueling transnational household flows.
02 · Category
Labor & Integration3 stats
01
8% of the labour force are foreign-born in the Netherlands (share of foreign-born workers), indicating foreign-born residents contribute 8% of employed labour
02
63% employment rate for non-Western migrants in the Netherlands in 2022 (meaning non-Western migrants were employed at a rate of 63%)
03
5-year refugee employment gap in the Netherlands averaged 25 percentage points in 2015–2019 (meaning refugees had employment rates roughly 25 pp lower than comparable natives)
Interpretation
Labor & Integration Interpretation
In the Netherlands under Labor and Integration, foreign-born workers make up 8% of the labor force while non-Western migrants had a 63% employment rate in 2022 and refugees still faced an average 25 percentage point employment gap over 2015 to 2019.
03 · Category
Refugee & Asylum2 stats
01
In 2022, the Netherlands resettled 8,000 persons
02
The Netherlands had 120,000 Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection by end of 2023
Interpretation
Refugee & Asylum Interpretation
In the Refugee and Asylum category, the Netherlands handled major displacement needs, resettling 8,000 people in 2022 and hosting 120,000 Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection by the end of 2023.
More related reading
04 · Category
Population Size2 stats
01
The Netherlands had 2.2 million residents with a non-Dutch passport in 2024 (meaning the non-Dutch nationality stock)
02
18.9% of the Dutch population had a migration background in 2024 (meaning about 1 in 5 residents), according to the share of people with at least one parent born abroad
Interpretation
Population Size Interpretation
In the Population Size snapshot for the Netherlands, 2.2 million residents held a non-Dutch passport in 2024 and 18.9% of the population had a migration background, showing that international ties are a sizable part of everyday population.
05 · Category
Migration Flows2 stats
01
2.5% net migration rate in 2023 (meaning net international migration added about 2.5 people per 100 residents during the year)
02
2.3 million international migrants (foreign-born) living in the Netherlands in 2020 (meaning about 2.3 million residents were born abroad)
Interpretation
Migration Flows Interpretation
In the migration flows picture, the Netherlands recorded a 2.5% net migration rate in 2023, while already hosting about 2.3 million foreign-born residents in 2020, showing that international movement is both an ongoing and expanding contributor to the country’s population.
06 · Category
Industry Overview8 stats
01
The Netherlands received 56,900 asylum applications in 2015 (a peak year) (meaning 56.9k people applied for asylum that year)
02
The Netherlands granted 11,500 subsidiary protection statuses in 2023 (meaning alternative protection grants)
03
The Netherlands spent €4.9 billion on migrant-related social expenditures in 2020 (meaning government spending for migrant and integration-related programmes and costs)
04
The Netherlands reported €280 million expenditure on reception and integration of asylum seekers in 2021 (meaning government spending for reception/integration support that year)
05
34,600 long-term residence permits for non-EU citizens were issued in the Netherlands in 2022 (meaning long-term legal residence authorizations)
06
The Netherlands issued 31,000 short-stay entry visas (type C) in the first half of 2024 (meaning half-year issuance volume)
07
Of the 1.7 million foreign-born residents, 0.9 million were born in Europe and 0.8 million in other regions in 2024
08
Naturalizations in the Netherlands increased to 28,000 in 2022 (meaning total citizenship acquisitions rose to about 28k)
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
From asylum peaks of 56,900 applications in 2015 to continuing policy and capacity spending and legal entries in later years, the Netherlands shows a steady, industry-relevant need for immigration services and support, reflected in grants like 11,500 subsidiary protections in 2023 and 31,000 short stay visas issued in the first half of 2024.
report visual · Key figures
Netherlands immigration: scale of inflows, protections, and integration
The Netherlands shows substantial immigration-related activity across foreign-born labor participation, asylum/protection needs, and migration status changes—alongside measurable government spending tied to asylum and integration.
8%
8% of the labour force are foreign-born in the Netherlands (share of foreign-born workers), indicating foreign-born resi
56,900
The Netherlands received 56,900 asylum applications in 2015 (a peak year) (meaning 56.9k people applied for asylum that
120,000
The Netherlands had 120,000 Ukrainian refugees under temporary protection by end of 2023
€280 million
The Netherlands reported €280 million expenditure on reception and integration of asylum seekers in 2021 (meaning govern
28,000
Naturalizations in the Netherlands increased to 28,000 in 2022 (meaning total citizenship acquisitions rose to about 28k
source-verifiedoecd.org · data.unhcr.org · ec.europa.eu2023
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Lars Eriksen. (2026, February 13). Netherlands Immigration Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/netherlands-immigration-statistics
MLA
Lars Eriksen. "Netherlands Immigration Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/netherlands-immigration-statistics.
Chicago
Lars Eriksen. 2026. "Netherlands Immigration Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/netherlands-immigration-statistics.
Sources & references
21 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+10 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)