Poland accepted the most foreigners from outside the European Union

In 2019, Poland admitted the largest number of foreigners from outside the European Union among all EU countries - according to the latest data from the European statistical office Eurostat. Our country has issued over 724,000 so-called first residence permits. Most - to the citizens of Ukraine.

Union were issued about the first 3 million permits to stay in the Community - they are granted to people who come to a given country for the first time. This is an increase of 163,000, or 6 percent, compared to the previous year.

The upward trend has continued since 2013. According to Eurostat, the increase recorded in the past year was mainly due to work permits. Employment-related permits accounted for 41 percent of all decisions issued in the EU in 2019. Permits issued for family reasons accounted for 27 percent, education-related permits - 14 percent. In addition, 18 percent of permits were issued for other reasons, including regarding refugee status or subsidiary protection.

Subsidiary protection is a type of residence permit granted to foreigners who did not receive refugee status and would be faced with real death penalty, execution, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, and a serious threat to life or health resulting from the widespread use of violence against foreigners. the civilian population in the event of an internal or international armed conflict.

Poland issued the most permits

Eurostat data shows that in 2019 Poland issued a quarter of the first permits in the entire EU. Our country has issued 724,000 permits. Poland issued the largest number of residence permits in order to work - 625,000. This accounted for 52 percent of all work permits issued by EU countries. Of these, 551,000 were issued to citizens of Ukraine.

"Eurostat data showed that in 2019 Poland re-accepted the largest number of non-EU migrants from all European countries (724,000). The influx of migrants reduced labor market shortages and was a buffer against a strong increase in unemployment during the lockdown" - indicated PKO BP analysts in the entry on Twitter.

Pi?tkowe dane @EU_Eurostat pokaza?y, ?e w 2019 Polska ponownie przyj??a najwi?cej migrantów spoza UE ze wszystkich krajów Europejskich (724 tys.). Nap?yw migrantów zmniejszy? niedobory rynku pracy i by? buforem, przed silnym wzrostem bezrobocia w czasie lockdownu. pic.twitter.com/UaUDbLXoqf

— PKO Research (@PKO_Research) December 1, 2020

Germany came second with 460,000 (16 percent). Our western neighbors issued the most permits for family reunification - 167,000 (15 percent). Germany is also a leader in permits issued for other reasons, most of which have been granted refugee status and subsidiary protection - 166,000 (30 percent).

Spain is in third place - 320,000 (11 percent). Not much less, because 285,000 permits were issued by France (10 percent). This country issued the most education-related permits - 90,000 (23 percent).

The top five was completed by Italy, which issued 176,000 (6 percent) of such decisions. The Czech Republic issued 117,000 (4 percent) permits.

Taking into account the number of inhabitants, the highest percentage of the first permits issued in 2019 was recorded in Malta - 42 permits per 1,000 inhabitants. The leaders were also Cyprus - 26, Poland - 19, Slovenia - 15 and Luxembourg - 14. The average for the entire EU was 7 permits per 1000 inhabitants.