Between 2008 and 2019, the immigration rate in Luxembourg increased. Indeed, in 2008, the immigration rate was at 36.34 percent for 1,000 inhabitants, by 2019 it was at 43.01 percent, before decreasing to 35.74 in 2020. In 2022, the immigration rate stood at 48.08. The lowest rate was reached in 2009, when the immigration was at 31.64 percent. In 2023, approximately 313,400 out of Luxembourg’s 660,800 inhabitants were foreign nationals.

 Foreigners living in Luxembourg  

The majority of the foreign nationals living in the Grand Duchy come from other European Union countries. The largest group of foreign nationals in Luxembourg were the Portuguese, who numbered nearly 94 thousand in 2022, followed by the French and the Italian. There were also some 19 thousand Belgians living in the country.

EU immigrants and the public perception  

The large majority of people in Luxembourg regard immigration as a positive thing. In a 2017 survey, respondents were asked how they feel about the right for EU citizens to live in their country. An overwhelming majority of over 85 percent said that they believed this to be a good thing. Only six percent of survey participants thought it was a bad thing. Nearly 90 percent also believed it was a good thing for EU citizens to work in the country.

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.

Luxembourg LU: Net Migration data was reported at 25,001.000 Person in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 48,704.000 Person for 2012. Luxembourg LU: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging 14,878.500 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 48,704.000 Person in 2012 and a record low of 2,552.000 Person in 1982. Luxembourg LU: Net Migration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Luxembourg – Table LU.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;

Graph and download economic data for Net migration for Luxembourg (SMPOPNETMLUX) from 1962 to 2017 about Luxembourg, migration, Net, 5-year, and population.

Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Africa data was reported at 1,455.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,184.000 Person for 2016. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Africa data is updated yearly, averaging 165.500 Person from Dec 1953 (Median) to 2017, with 64 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,455.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 1965. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Africa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Portal of Statistics of Luxembourg. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Luxembourg – Table LU.G003: Number of Immigrants and Emigrants: by Sex.

Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Male: Other Countries data was reported at 1,409.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 1,216.000 Person for 2016. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Male: Other Countries data is updated yearly, averaging 182.500 Person from Dec 1956 (Median) to 2017, with 62 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,850.000 Person in 2015 and a record low of 23.000 Person in 1968. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Male: Other Countries data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Portal of Statistics of Luxembourg. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Luxembourg – Table LU.G003: Number of Immigrants and Emigrants: by Sex.

This statistic displays the net migration in Luxembourg from 2008 to 2022. During this time period, the difference between the number of people entering the territory and the number of people leaving the territory increased, reaching a peak in 2015 with a surplus of 11,200 people. In 2022, there was a surplus of 14,200 people.

In 2021, the net migration rate of Luxembourg dropped to 10.9, which was 0.2 points lower than the previous year. The net migration rate shows the difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants in the past five years, adjusted for population.

This line chart displays net migration (people) by date using the aggregation sum in Luxembourg. The data is about countries per year.

Historical dataset showing Luxembourg net migration by year from 1960 to 2024.

Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Female: Netherlands data was reported at 119.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 94.000 Person for 2016. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Female: Netherlands data is updated yearly, averaging 95.000 Person from Dec 1956 (Median) to 2017, with 62 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 168.000 Person in 1986 and a record low of 33.000 Person in 1970. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Female: Netherlands data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Portal of Statistics of Luxembourg. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Luxembourg – Table LU.G003: Number of Immigrants and Emigrants: by Sex.

This scatter chart displays net migration (people) against median age (year) in Luxembourg. The data is about countries per year.

This statistic shows the annual growth figures of successful grants of asylum for refugees in Luxembourg from 2008 until 2021. When comparing 2008 to 2021, there has been an overall increase of almsot 500 refugees successfully qualifying for asylum in Luxembourg. The peak was in 2017 at 1,125.

Cette couche montre la proportion parmi la population que représente la population immigrée dans chaque commune. La population immigrée est définie comme l’ensemble des individus nés à l’étranger, indépendamment de leur nationalité. Les informations proviennent du recensement de la population du 8 novembre 2021. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter la publication suivante : https://statistiques.public.lu/fr/recensement/repartition-geographique-des-immigres.html

Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Male: Unspecified data was reported at 14.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 12.000 Person for 2016. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Male: Unspecified data is updated yearly, averaging 19.000 Person from Dec 1956 (Median) to 2017, with 59 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 300.000 Person in 1974 and a record low of 0.000 Person in 1973. Luxembourg Number of Immigrants: Male: Unspecified data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by The Portal of Statistics of Luxembourg. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Luxembourg – Table LU.G003: Number of Immigrants and Emigrants: by Sex.

This horizontal bar chart displays net migration (people) by ISO 2 country code using the aggregation sum in Luxembourg. The data is filtered where the date is 2021. The data is about countries per year.

Cette couche montre les proportions d’immigrés en provenance des pays frontaliers au sein des cellules de 1 km². La population immigrée est définie comme l’ensemble des individus nés à l’étranger, indépendamment de leur nationalité. Les informations proviennent du recensement de la population du 8 novembre 2021. Pour plus d'informations, veuillez consulter la publication suivante : https://statistiques.public.lu/fr/recensement/repartition-geographique-des-immigres.html

This layer shows the proportions of immigrants who arrived during the last 4 years per 1 km² cell. The immigrant population is defined as all individuals born abroad, regardless of their nationality. The information comes from the population census of November 8, 2021. For more information, please consult the following publication: https://statistiques.public.lu/fr/recensement/repartition-geographique-des-immigres.html

This scatter chart displays vulnerable employment (% of total employment) against net migration (people) in Luxembourg. The data is about countries per year.

In 2021, the net migration rate of Netherlands stood at 3.3, while that of Luxembourg stood at 10.9. The net migration rate shows the difference between the number of immigrants and emigrants in the past five years, adjusted for population.