EU migration declines but Luxembourg remains an attractive country

According to fresh data from Eurostat, 4.3 million people will arrive in the European Union from non-EU countries in 2023. This is 17.9 per cent less than the 5.3 million recorded in 2022. An additional 1.5 million people moved within the EU, a figure that remained stable compared to the previous year.

In terms of population size, Malta ranked first in terms of migration intensity with 76 immigrants per 1,000 inhabitants, followed by Cyprus (43) and Luxembourg (40). The lowest rates were recorded in Slovakia (1), France (6) and Italy (7).

However, the structure of migration in Luxembourg is radically different from most Member States. In 2023, 85.7 per cent of all migrants arrived in the country from other EU states, making Luxembourg the absolute leader in terms of the share of intra-Union migration. By comparison, in the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Ireland, the majority of migrants came from third countries - 89.2 per cent, 88.9 per cent and 87.2 per cent respectively.

This distribution shows the continuing pull of Luxembourg as a centre for the inflow of labour and professionals from other EU countries. High mobility within the Union supports the country's economy, especially in areas requiring multilingualism and high skills.

Meanwhile, the overall decline in immigration can be attributed to tighter entry conditions, a slowdown in global mobility after the 2022 peak, and countries adapting to new demographic realities and challenges.