With nearly 49,000 living in Denmark as of January 1, 2024, most immigrants were from Poland. The second and third largest groups of immigrants were from Ukraine and Romania, amounting to roughly 41,000 and 40,000 people, respectively. Tightening immigration policies Like many European countries, Denmark experienced a heightened influx of immigrants in 2015. In the wake of the refugee situation, however, the number of immigrants, notably asylum seekers, declined in part due to sharpened immigration policies. In 2015, over 21,000 refugees applied for asylum in Denmark, whereas applications fell below 5,000 in 2022. Residence permits Among the different types of residence permits, permits granted based on asylum were the least delivered type of permit. Only 1,400 people were granted asylum in Denmark in 2022. The highest number of asylum seekers came from Ukraine, even when excluding Ukrainians arriving via the temporary protection act. In 2022, Denmark registered around 2,000 applications from Ukrainians.

In 2022, the highest number of immigrants to Denmark for several years was registered, a number that must be seen in relation with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That year, a total of 121,000 people immigrated to Denmark, compared to 76,000 the previous year. In 2023, the number fell below 100,000.

Eastern Europeans largest group of immigrants

Today, Ukrainians make up the second largest group of immigrants living in Denmark, a high number of who are refugees from the Russia-Ukraine war. Meanwhile, Poles made up the largest group. Many of these are people moving to Denmark for work.

Immigration drives population increase

With the annual number of people immigrating to Denmark being higher than the number of people emigrating, migration has played an important part in the country's increasing population.

Denmark has experienced a positive migration flow over the past decade. During this period, there was consistently a higher number of immigrants entering the country than emigrants leaving it. Up until 2015, the number of immigrants arriving in Denmark steadily grew. Since then, however, the number of immigrants has decreased. In 2022, a record-high 121,000 people immigrated to Denmark, while around 63,000 people emigrated, meaning that there were almost twice as many immigrants as emigrants that year. The following year, close to 100,000 people immigrated to Denmark.

Tighter immigration laws

The decreasing immigration figures up until 2021 can in part be explained by tighter immigration rules. Since 2015, immigration policies have been strengthened in Denmark. For instance, immigrants are required to work 37 hours a week to qualify for certain social benefits, and the parliament recently passed a legislation making it possible to send asylum seekers to countries outside of the EU while their applications are processed. Despite this tendency, forecasts predict that the number of immigrants will increase and reach 725,000 people in 2029. This is because a high number of immigrants in Denmark come from from other EU countries such as Poland and Germany. As of 2024, nearly 50,000 Danish residents had Polish origins.

Ukrainian refugees driving the number of immigrants

The record-high number of immigrants arriving in Denmark in 2022 was driven by refugees from Ukraine following Russia's invasion of the country in February 2022. Around 6.5 million people have fled Ukraine after the outbreak of the war, and in Denmark, nearly 32,000 of the immigrants that year came from Ukraine. The number of immigrants arriving in the country in 2022 was significantly higher than in 2015, the previous record year, when a high number of Syrian refugees arrived in the country.

Denmark - Foreign-born population was 832354.00 in December of 2024, according to the EUROSTAT. Trading Economics provides the current actual value, an historical data chart and related indicators for Denmark - Foreign-born population - last updated from the EUROSTAT on July of 2025. Historically, Denmark - Foreign-born population reached a record high of 832354.00 in December of 2024 and a record low of 500772.00 in December of 2010.

Of the 98,000 people immigrating to Denmark in 2023, the highest number came from Ukraine. Over 8,000 immigrants from Ukraine were registered in Denmark that year. The high number of immigrants from Ukraine is related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Germany followed in second at 7,000. The third most common country of origin for immigrants arriving in Denmark was the United States. The highest number of immigrants residing in Denmark at the beginning of 2024 came from Poland.

Denmark Employment Rate: Immigrants data was reported at 56.400 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 54.900 % for 2015. Denmark Employment Rate: Immigrants data is updated yearly, averaging 54.800 % from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2016, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 59.400 % in 2008 and a record low of 53.600 % in 2006. Denmark Employment Rate: Immigrants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Denmark. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.G011: Employment Rate.

Denmark DK: Net Migration data was reported at 75,998.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 106,841.000 Person for 2012. Denmark DK: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging 39,572.500 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 106,841.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 2,256.000 Person in 1962. Denmark DK: Net Migration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the total number of immigrants less the annual number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens. Data are five-year estimates.; ; United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects: 2017 Revision.; Sum;

Denmark DK: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data was reported at 10.099 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.183 % for 2010. Denmark DK: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 7.539 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10.099 % in 2015 and a record low of 4.575 % in 1990. Denmark DK: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. International migrant stock is the number of people born in a country other than that in which they live. It also includes refugees. The data used to estimate the international migrant stock at a particular time are obtained mainly from population censuses. The estimates are derived from the data on foreign-born population--people who have residence in one country but were born in another country. When data on the foreign-born population are not available, data on foreign population--that is, people who are citizens of a country other than the country in which they reside--are used as estimates. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 people living in one of the newly independent countries who were born in another were classified as international migrants. Estimates of migrant stock in the newly independent states from 1990 on are based on the 1989 census of the Soviet Union. For countries with information on the international migrant stock for at least two points in time, interpolation or extrapolation was used to estimate the international migrant stock on July 1 of the reference years. For countries with only one observation, estimates for the reference years were derived using rates of change in the migrant stock in the years preceding or following the single observation available. A model was used to estimate migrants for countries that had no data.; ; United Nations Population Division, Trends in Total Migrant Stock: 2008 Revision.; Weighted average;

Denmark Employment Rate: Male: Immigrants data was reported at 61.300 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 59.400 % for 2015. Denmark Employment Rate: Male: Immigrants data is updated yearly, averaging 59.200 % from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2016, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 63.800 % in 2008 and a record low of 58.000 % in 2010. Denmark Employment Rate: Male: Immigrants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Denmark. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.G011: Employment Rate.

Denmark DK: International Migrant Stock: Total data was reported at 572,520.000 Person in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 509,740.000 Person for 2010. Denmark DK: International Migrant Stock: Total data is updated yearly, averaging 215,491.000 Person from Dec 1960 (Median) to 2015, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 572,520.000 Person in 2015 and a record low of 93,989.000 Person in 1960. Denmark DK: International Migrant Stock: Total data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.World Bank.WDI: Population and Urbanization Statistics. International migrant stock is the number of people born in a country other than that in which they live. It also includes refugees. The data used to estimate the international migrant stock at a particular time are obtained mainly from population censuses. The estimates are derived from the data on foreign-born population--people who have residence in one country but were born in another country. When data on the foreign-born population are not available, data on foreign population--that is, people who are citizens of a country other than the country in which they reside--are used as estimates. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 people living in one of the newly independent countries who were born in another were classified as international migrants. Estimates of migrant stock in the newly independent states from 1990 on are based on the 1989 census of the Soviet Union. For countries with information on the international migrant stock for at least two points in time, interpolation or extrapolation was used to estimate the international migrant stock on July 1 of the reference years. For countries with only one observation, estimates for the reference years were derived using rates of change in the migrant stock in the years preceding or following the single observation available. A model was used to estimate migrants for countries that had no data.; ; United Nations Population Division, Trends in Total Migrant Stock: 2012 Revision.; Sum;

Denmark Number of Immigrants: Domestic: Argentina data was reported at 31.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 40.000 Person for 2016. Denmark Number of Immigrants: Domestic: Argentina data is updated yearly, averaging 31.500 Person from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 65.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 12.000 Person in 1983. Denmark Number of Immigrants: Domestic: Argentina data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Denmark. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.G007: Number of Immigrants: by Country.

The number of immigrants living in Denmark increased from 2014 to 2024. In 2014, there were 480,000 immigrants living in Denmark, whereas this number had increased to 700,000 in 2024. That year, there were over five million inhabitants of Danish origin, and 220,000 descendants residing in Denmark. The largest group of immigrants living in Denmark comes from Poland.

Graph and download economic data for Percentage of Foreign Banks Among Total Banks for Denmark (DDOI13DKA156NWDB) from 1995 to 2013 about Denmark, foreign, percent, banks, and depository institutions.

The statistic shows a forecast of the increase of immigrants in Denmark from 2019 to 2029. The total number of immigrants will keep on increasing. According to the forecast there will be approximately 0.72 million immigrants living in Denmark by 2029.

Denmark Employment Rate: Female: Immigrants data was reported at 51.400 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 50.400 % for 2015. Denmark Employment Rate: Female: Immigrants data is updated yearly, averaging 50.600 % from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2016, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 54.900 % in 2008 and a record low of 47.800 % in 2006. Denmark Employment Rate: Female: Immigrants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Denmark. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.G011: Employment Rate.

Denmark Number of Immigrants: Domestic: USA data was reported at 2,065.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 2,117.000 Person for 2016. Denmark Number of Immigrants: Domestic: USA data is updated yearly, averaging 1,777.500 Person from Dec 1980 (Median) to 2017, with 38 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,181.000 Person in 1994 and a record low of 851.000 Person in 1980. Denmark Number of Immigrants: Domestic: USA data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Denmark. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.G007: Number of Immigrants: by Country.

In 2023, the development of the foreign-born population in Denmark reached *******. Since 2009 there has been a steady increase in foreign-born residents in Denmark.

Denmark Economic Activity Rate: Female: Immigrants data was reported at 56.400 % in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 55.000 % for 2015. Denmark Economic Activity Rate: Female: Immigrants data is updated yearly, averaging 55.700 % from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2016, with 11 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 58.300 % in 2008 and a record low of 53.500 % in 2006. Denmark Economic Activity Rate: Female: Immigrants data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Denmark. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Denmark – Table DK.G010: Economic Activity Rate: Register-Based Labour Force Statistics.

In 2021, immigrants from Africa had the highest unemployment rate among foreigners in Denmark at 8.8 percent. Asians had the second highest unemployment rate at 7.5 percent, followed by people from the European Union. Meanwhile, people from Oceania had the lowest at only 2.2 percent.

Foreign Direct Investment in Denmark decreased by 0.06 DKK Billion in the first quarter of 2025. This dataset provides - Denmark Foreign Direct Investment- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.