The number of foreign nationals working in Japan amounted to around *** million people as of October 2024. It was the second time the number of foreign workers exceeded the *** million mark. Foreign workers in Japan The number of foreign workers in Japan has risen considerably within the last decade. Over *********** of workers were employed in Tokyo Prefecture, Japan’s capital and economic and financial center. In terms of the number of people employed, the ************* industry continued to be the most important employer of foreign labor. The majority of foreign workers came from countries in ****, with workers from ******* making up the largest share at around ** percent. Population decline and severe labor shortages Just a decade ago, the number of foreign workers was below *** million. That was less than *** percent of a population of over *** million. Today, amid its aging population and a shrinking labor force, Japan is facing severe labor shortages in some industries. A growing number of businesses are reliant on foreign labor, and the government has recently announced a number of policy amendments to attract more workers to Japan. This includes plans to expand the specified skilled workers program and to abolish and replace the controversial technical intern training program.

Nearly **** of the migrant workers in the world were based in the high-income regions of Southern, Northern, and Western Europe as well as Northern America. Another ** percent were based in Arab States. In 2019, there were around *** million migrant workers worldwide. The American melting pot While Northern America has the second highest proportion of migrant workers globally, the United States has the highest number of migrant workers out of every country globally. In 2022, the United States had ** million foreign-born workers. By comparison, Germany, which has the second highest number of migrant workers, had **** million foreign-born workers in 2022. Moreover, over *** million people received legal permanent residence status in the United States in 2022. Japanese population crisis East Asia has a small proportion of migrant workers worldwide, at *** percent of the total. Many East Asian nations have stricter barriers to migration compared to other regions. For a nation like Japan, which has a shrinking population, these policies present major challenges. In 2022, foreign nationals only accounted for *** percent of Japan’s total population. In the face of an aging, decreasing population, over **** of companies in Japan report shortages of full-time employees, despite Japan’s low unemployment rate.

The employment rate among Sweden's foreign-born population increased slowly from 2011 to 2019, but fell in 2020 after the outbreak of COVID-19, reaching 60.6 percent in 2021. Following the peak of the pandemic, this increased to 67.1 percent in 2023. Simultaneously, the unemployment rate increased, nearly reaching 20 percent in 2021 after being around 15 percent in the years before the pandemic. It then fell to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, and reached 15.1 by 2023. By comparison, the overall employment rate in Sweden was 69.4 percent in 2023, making it five percentage points higher than among the foreign-born population.

Over the past 10 years, the number of people with an immigrant background living in Norway increased. Whereas nearly 1.1 million people with an immigrant background lived in Norway in 2014, this number had increased to nearly 1.5 million as of 2024. Of these, first generation immigrants was, by far, the largest group, counting 930,000 people. The second largest group was people born in Norway with one parent born abroad, followed by inhabitants born in Norway with two parents born abroad. Immigration to the Nordics Norway is not the only Nordic country with increasing immigration. Immigration has increased in each Nordic country from 2000 and onwards, with Sweden leading immigration until being taken over by Denmark in 2022. Sweden has taken in a comparatively high number of refugees, but most immigrants to the Nordics are from other European countries, such as in Finland. Population challenges in the Nordics Over time, the fertility rate has declined in each Nordic country, and as of 2022, Iceland had the highest fertility rate in the region with only 1.6 children born per woman. Moreover, those aged 70 and older are increasingly making up larger portions of Nordic societies. These factors combined can create challenges as there are less workers available, making immigration an important factor in the Nordic labor markets.

The United States hosted, by far, the highest number of immigrants in the world in 2020. That year, there were over ** million people born outside of the States residing in the country. Germany and Saudi Arabia followed behind at around ** and ** million, respectively. There are varying reasons for people to emigrate from their country of origin, from poverty and unemployment to war and persecution. American Migration People migrate to the United States for a variety of reasons, from job and educational opportunities to family reunification. Overall, in 2021, most people that became legal residents of the United States did so for family reunification purposes, totaling ******* people that year. An additional ******* people became legal residents through employment opportunities. In terms of naturalized citizenship, ******* people from Mexico became naturalized American citizens in 2021, followed by people from India, the Philippines, Cuba, and China. German Migration Behind the United States, Germany also has a significant migrant population. Migration to Germany increased during the mid-2010's, in light of the Syrian Civil War and refugee crisis, and during the 2020’s, in light of conflict in Afghanistan and Ukraine. Moreover, as German society continues to age, there are less workers in the labor market. In a low-migration scenario, Germany will have **** million skilled workers by 2040, compared to **** million by 2040 in a high-migration scenario. In both scenarios, this is still a decrease from **** skilled workers in 2020.

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 2023, the biggest communities of foreign nationals in Italy were in Milan, Bologna, Florence, Turin, Rome, and Genoa, where more than ten percent of the inhabitants were not of Italian origin. These cities are mostly located in the north of the country. On the contrary, in the southern municipalities of Bari, Catania, and Palermo the incidence of the immigrant population is minimal, well below **** percent. Italian demographics In 2024, beyond **** million foreign residents lived in Italy, compared to the total population of ** million inhabitants. Projections assert that in the upcoming years, the number of Italian citizens will progressively decrease, mostly given to the aging population and low birth rates. In fact, it has been predicted that the median age could reach **** years by 2050, whereas the country experienced a constant decline in the number of births. In 2010, almost ******* babies came into life, but ten years later only ******* births were recorded. The divide between north and south From the distribution of immigrant residents, there is an evident separation between the northern Italian regions and the southern part of the country, making those territories less attractive for foreigners in terms of work opportunities. Analysis on the index of the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in 2005, in 2015 and 2025 reveal that the total wealth produced by the southern region represents only half of the one recorded in the north. Moreover, in 2023 the unemployment rate in northern regions was around **** percent, whereas in the south it reached ** percent.

In 2020, there were about 2.52 million immigrants, here classified as people living in a country in which they were not born in, in Singapore out of a total population of about 5.7 million. Immigrants made up a significant share of the population and play a crucial role in Singapore, where the birth rate was among the lowest in the world.

Singapore’s immigrant population The immigrant population of Singapore made up slightly more than 40 percent of the total population of the country in 2018. Throughout its history as a port city, Singapore had been a melting pot of cultures and nationalities. Currently, as one of Asia’s most important economies, it attracts people from all over the world and of different socioeconomic backgrounds to seek better opportunities. The immigrant population is largely of Asian origin, with neighboring Malaysians making up the majority.

Of expats and migrant workers Lacking in natural resources, Singapore’s government has long stressed that its most important resource is its people. However, with declining birth rates and low population growth, the country increasingly relies on immigrants to help shoulder the economic burden. In 2020, Singapore’s foreign workforce stood at just under 1.23 million, out of which about 351 thousand were classified as skilled labor. Most of the foreign workforce were employed in sectors that were deemed unappealing to Singaporeans, such as in construction and the service industry, or as domestic help.

In the 3 years to March 2021, white British families were the most likely to receive a type of state support.

This graph represents the share of the immigrant population in France from 1921 to 2023. The statistic reveals that the share of immigrants in France had slightly increased since 1921. There were 6.6 percent of immigrants in 1931 compared to 10.7 percent in 2023.

With approximately ** million inhabitants, Tokyo Prefecture was the largest prefecture based on population size in Japan as of 2023. The smallest prefecture in this regard was Tottori Prefecture, which in the same year counted about ******* residents. Rural depopulation Like many industrial economies, Japan is facing the problem of depopulating rural areas. While the birth rate continues to decline, many young people decide to migrate from small towns and villages to large cities like Tokyo or Osaka for higher education and employment. The population of Tokyo Prefecture has shown substantial growth over the past decades and consists largely of working age citizens. Smaller communities are trying to counteract the depopulation process with initiatives meant to invite younger workers and tourists back. Migration to Japan Japan is often described as a very homogenous society, with a low share of foreign residents. Despite the declining birthrate and many businesses experiencing a labor shortage, companies have been hesitant to employ foreign workers, in part due to the strict immigration laws. The Japanese Government has tried to ease immigration restrictions and encourage foreigners to work in Japan. The largest share of foreign workers in Japan, however, is residing in the county with a permanent residence or as the family member of a Japanese national.

In 2023, over 313,000 foreigners called the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg home. The largest group of foreign inhabitants came from Portugal, at just over 92,000. There were almost twice as many Portuguese living in Luxembourg as any of other nationality. By comparison: the second largest group of foreigners, the French, numbered around 49,100 individuals. In total, Luxembourg had 660,800 thousand inhabitants that year.

Nearly half of Luxembourg’s population is of foreign origin

In 2021, the share of foreign nationals living in the country reached 47.2 percent. This was a slight decrease in comparison to the previous year, when the share of foreigners was at 47.4 percent. In the last decade, Luxembourg’s foreign population share never dropped below 43 percent.

Foreign population by age and gender

Luxembourg’s foreign population counted approximately as many men as women, with men outnumbering women by just 8.9 thousand. The average foreigner was roughly between 25 and 55 years old, with those aged 35-39 making up the largest age group, at just under 30 thousand.