From 2008 onwards, the migration balance in the Netherlands was positive, meaning that more people settled in the Netherlands than leaving for newer pastures. In 2022, the migration balance was 223,800. In 2022, the number of people in the Netherlands with a migration background (defined as someone who has at least one parent born abroad) was over 4.4 million.

 Regions of origin 

In 2020, the largest group of immigrants in the Netherlands came from other European countries, followed by migrants from Asian countries and the Americas. Over 1.4 million immigrants in the Netherlands were either born in another European country themselves or had a parent coming from here one. The Polish were especially well-represented, with over 25,000 immigrants in 2020.  

Attitudes towards immigration  

In a 2017 survey, respondents were asked how they feel about immigration from other EU countries. 70 percent stated to be fairly or very positive about this. By comparison, only five percent of the respondents answered to feel very negative about EU migration. Respondents were less positive about migration from non-EU countries, but the share of people feeling fairly or very positive about this still reached 45 percent.

In 2022, the largest foreign group of immigrants to the Netherlands came from Ukraine, with 99,700 immigrants. Polish, Dutch, Syrian and Turkish rounded out the top five foreign nationalities for immigrants to the Netherlands in that year.

Immigration and emigration in the Netherlands and the administrative corrections by country of birth, sex, age and marital status.

CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification by origin is being introduced gradually in tables and publications on population by origin.

Data available from: 2020

Status of the figures: All data recorded in this publication are final data.

Changes as from 4 July 2025: Final figures of 2024 have been added.

When will new figures be published? The final figures of 2025 will be added in the third quarter of 2026 in this publication.

Population growth in The Netherlands by birth, death and migration by sex and region. In addition to national data, information is presented by group of provinces, province, COROP region and municipality. The regional totals shown concern cumulated municipal data. Where changes of municipal boundaries transect regional boundaries, the municipal classifications concerns the most recent situation. The municipality of Vianen, for example, was annexed by the province of Utrecht on 1 January 2002, and is classified under the province of Utrecht in the Table. Data available from: 1942 Status of the figures: All data recorded in this publication are final data. Up to 1977 data may differ from other published data on StatLine. This is due to differences between the data files used by Statistics Netherlands and the official data as published in 'Loop van de bevolking per gemeente'. Changes as of 25 June 2024: Final figures of 2023 have been added. When will new figures be published? In the 3rd quarter of 2025 figures of 2024 will be added in this table.

Netherlands NL: Net Migration data was reported at 80,000.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 62,687.000 Person for 2012. Netherlands NL: Net Migration data is updated yearly, averaging 109,874.000 Person from Dec 1962 (Median) to 2017, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 186,745.000 Person in 1972 and a record low of 11,589.000 Person in 1962. Netherlands NL: Net Migration data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Netherlands – Table NL.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;

This statistic shows the total immigration, total emigration and the migration balance in the Netherlands in 2022, by age. In 2022, one person aged 100 years or older emigrated from the Netherlands.

Sint Maarten (Dutch part) immigration statistics for 2015 was 27,295, a 4.18% increase from 2010.

<ul style='margin-top:20px;'>

<li>Sint Maarten (Dutch part) immigration statistics for 2010 was <strong>26,200</strong>, a <strong>100% increase</strong> from 2005.</li>
<li>Sint Maarten (Dutch part) immigration statistics for 2005 was <strong>13,100</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from .</li>
<li>Sint Maarten (Dutch part) immigration statistics for was <strong>0.00</strong>, a <strong>0% increase</strong> from .</li>
</ul>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.

Netherlands NL: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data was reported at 11.696 % in 2015. This records an increase from the previous number of 11.018 % for 2010. Netherlands NL: International Migrant Stock: % of Population data is updated yearly, averaging 10.211 % from Dec 1990 (Median) to 2015, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 11.696 % in 2015 and a record low of 7.927 % in 1990. Netherlands NL: 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 Netherlands – Table NL.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;

This statistic shows the total number of immigrants in the Netherlands from 1995 to 2022, by age. It shows that the majority of the immigrants to the Netherlands in 2022 was between 20 and 65 years old.

Historical dataset showing Netherlands immigration statistics by year from 1960 to 2015.

This table includes figures about the migration on the islands of Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius broken down by sex, age and country of birth.

Since 10 October 2010, the islands of Bonaire, Saba and St Eustatius have been given the status of 'special municipality' of the Netherlands. On the grounds of their new status as 'special municipality', they are officially classified as public bodies of the Netherlands.

Data available from: 2011.

Status of the figures: The figures are final.

Changed on 27 May 2025: The figures of ‘Immigration’ by ‘Country of birth’ for the year 2020 have been corrected for Aruba (-1) and Bonaire (+1). This also changed the figures for ‘Net migration including administrative corrections’ by ‘Country of birth’ for ‘Born outside the Caribbean Netherlands’, ‘Aruba, Curacao, St Maarten’ and ‘Caribbean Netherlands’. Figures for 2024 have been added.

Changed on 5 December 2024: This is a revised table. The following changes have been implemented: - By using place of birth (municipality of birth) it was determined on which of the six islands someone was born in the (former) Netherlands Antilles and Aruba. That method has been applied in this table for all publication years (2011 to present) the same way. - Persons born in countries that have since disintegrated (e.g. the Soviet Union) have been assigned to one of the countries that emerged from these old countries based on birthplace information. See also notes on 'Country of birth'; - The origin countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey have been assigned to continent Asia (was Europe).

When will new figures be published? In the second quarter of 2026 figures of 2025 will be added.

Netherlands Number of Immigrants: China data was reported at 6,724.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 5,975.000 Person for 2016. Netherlands Number of Immigrants: China data is updated yearly, averaging 3,948.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2017, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,724.000 Person in 2017 and a record low of 1,464.000 Person in 1995. Netherlands Number of Immigrants: China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Netherlands. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Netherlands – Table NL.G005: Number of Immigrants: by Country.

In 2022, the province most inhabited by first generation migrants in the Netherlands is South Holland (which includes cities such as The Hague and Rotterdam) housing over ******* first generation migrants. North Holland (which includes the city of Amsterdam), has the second most migrants living in its province with *******. The province which houses the least first generation migrants is Drenthe at ****** first generation immigrants.

Key figures on the population of the Netherlands.

The following information is available: - Population by sex; - Population by marital status; - Population by age (groups); - Population by origin; - Private households; - Persons in institutional households; - Population growth; - Population density.

CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin.

Data available from: 1950 Figures on population by origin are only available from 2022 at this moment. The periods 1996 through 2021 will be added to the table at a later time.

Status of the figures: All the figures are final.

Changes as of 17 July 2024: Final figures with regard to population growth for 2023 and final figures of the population on 1 January 2024 have been added.

Changes as of 26 April 2023: None, this is a new table. This table succeeds the table Population; key figures; 1950-2022. See section 3. The following changes have been implemented compared to the discontinued table: - The topic folder 'Population by migration background' has been replaced by 'Population by origin'; - The underlying topic folders regarding 'first and second generation migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born abroad'; - The origin countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey have been assigned to the continent of Asia (previously Europe).

When will new figures be published? In the last quarter of 2025 final figures with regard to population growth for 2024 and final figures of the population on 1 January 2025 will be added.

The most important key figures about population, households, population growth, births, deaths, migration, marriages, marriage dissolutions and change of nationality of the Dutch population. CBS is in transition towards a new classification of the population by origin. Greater emphasis is now placed on where a person was born, aside from where that person’s parents were born. The term ‘migration background’ is no longer used in this regard. The main categories western/non-western are being replaced by categories based on continents and a few countries that share a specific migration history with the Netherlands. The new classification is being implemented gradually in tables and publications on population by origin. Data available from: 1899 Status of the figures: The 2023 figures on stillbirths and perinatal mortality are provisional, the other figures in the table are final. Changes as of 23 December 2024: Figures with regard to population growth for 2023 and figures of the population on 1 January 2024 have been added. The provisional figures on the number of stillbirths and perinatal mortality for 2023 do not include children who were born at a gestational age that is unknown. These cases were included in the final figures for previous years. However, the provisional figures show a relatively larger number of children born at an unknown gestational age. Based on an internal analysis for 2022, it appears that in the majority of these cases, the child was born at less than 24 weeks. To ensure that the provisional 2023 figures do not overestimate the number of stillborn children born at a gestational age of over 24 weeks, children born at an unknown gestational age have now been excluded. Changes as of 15 December 2023: None, this is a new table. This table succeeds the table Population; households and population dynamics; 1899-2019. See section 3. The following changes have been made: - The underlying topic folders regarding 'migration background' have been replaced by 'Born in the Netherlands' and 'Born abroad'; - The origin countries Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Turkey have been assigned to the continent of Asia (previously Europe). When will the new figures be published? The figures for the population development in 2023 and the population on 1 January 2024 will be published in the second quarter of 2024.

This table contains projections (2014-2060) of the immigrant population in the Netherlands, the number of live births of the second generation, the foreign migration of first-generation allochtons and the number of deceased first- and second-generation allochtons in the Netherlands. All figures are also broken down by origin grouping (Western and non-Western).

Data available: 2014-2060

Status of the figures: The figures in this table are forecast figures calculated.

Changes as of 20 June 2018: The terms autochtoon and immigrant have been revised. Instead, CBS is now talking about people with a Dutch background or a migration background. Therefore, the names have been adapted in this table. The underlying encodings of the classifications used in this table have been adjusted. These are now in line with the standard coding established by CBS. The structure and data of the table have not been modified.

Changes as of 19 December 2017: This table has been discontinued. See paragraph 3 for the successor to this table.

Changes as of 18 December 2014: In this new table, the previous forecast has been revised on the basis of the latest insights, the forecast period now runs from 2014 to 2060.

When are new figures coming? In December 2017, the new forecast figures will be published in a new table.

CBS collects data on persons from different registrations in the Netherlands. This table contains information on non-Dutch immigrants between the ages of 16 and 65 and between 1999 and 65 years 2003 was established in the Netherlands. The information consists of data on the migration motive, year of establishment, gender and the main source of income. In the table, the main sources of income per migration motif expressed as a percentage of the total (selected) group with that migration motive.

Data available from: 1999 Frequency: discontinued

Status of the figures All figures in the table are final.

The most important key figures about population, households, birth, mortality, changes of residence, marriages, marriage dissolutions and change of nationality of the Dutch population. Data available from: 1899 Status of the figures: All data in this publication are final data. Changes as of 9 april 2021: The figures for the period 1987 to 1994 with regard to 'Emigration including the balance of the administrative corrections' have been corrected. The correction is due to duplications present in some of our source files. The differences are minimal. The figures for 1997 with regard to Emigration, including the balance of the administrative corrections for persons with nationality 'European Union (excluding the Netherlands)', and persons with country of birth 'European Union (excluding the Netherlands)' have been corrected. The correction is due to a calculation error. The topics 'Live born children, relative' and 'Sex ratio' have switched places. Changes as of 24 March 2020: The table has been revised. The following changes have been made: Population on January 1: - The number of 'Women' in 2012 has been corrected. - The figures for 'Migration background Suriname' and 'Migration background (former) Netherlands Antilles' have been changed for 1971 up to and including 1994. The changes are the result of a method change in the past, which was not reflected in the table at the time. The figures now match all other sections of StatLine. Population development: 'Emigration' has been changed to 'Emigration including administrative corrections', 'Migration balance' has been changed to 'Migration balance including administrative corrections'. Figures on emigration, including the balance of administrative corrections, provide a better picture of actual emigration than figures on emigration excluding these corrections. Due to the change, the figures for 1977 up to and including 2016 have changed. Live born children: The 2015 figures for 'Live born children from mothers aged 25 to 29, relative' and 'Live born children from mothers aged 30 or older, relative' have been adjusted. Mortality: - The figures for 'Life expectancy at birth: men' and 'Life expectancy at birth: women' for 1950 up to and including 1962, 1972, 1982, 1991, 1999, 2009 and 2011 have been corrected. - The figures for 'Mortality <1 year after birth, relative' for 1994 and 2011 have been corrected. - The figure for 'Mortality <1 year after birth, relative' for 2011 has been corrected. - The figures for 'Deceased by cause of death' have been removed from the table. (For more information: 3. LINKS TO RELEVANT TABLES AND ARTICLES). Foreign migration by nationality: - Various topics related to 'Emigration including administrative corrections' have been added. - 'Total immigration' has been corrected for 1993 and 1996. - 'Immigration, European Union (excluding the Netherlands)' has been adjusted for 2004 and 2013. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Dutch' has been corrected for 1995 and 2012. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Total non-Dutch' has been corrected for 1995 and 2012. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, European Union' has been adjusted for 2004, 2005 and 2013. Foreign migration by country of birth: - Various topics related to 'Emigration including administrative corrections' have been added. - 'Total immigration' has been corrected for 1993 and 1996. - 'Immigration, European Union (excluding the Netherlands)' has been adjusted for 1987 up to and including 1990 and for 2004. - 'Immigration, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2012. - 'Immigration, Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2012. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, European Union (excluding the Netherlands)' has been adjusted for 1989, 1999 and 2004. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Indonesia' has been corrected for 1994. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 1997. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 1997. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Specific emigration areas' has been corrected for 1995. Foreign migration by country of origin / destination: - 'Total immigration' has been corrected for 1996. - 'Immigration, European Union (excluding the Netherlands)' has been adjusted for 2004. - 'Immigration, Indonesia, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2007 and 2010 up to and including 2016. - 'Immigration, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2010 up to and including 2016. - 'Immigration, Indonesia' has been corrected for 2013. - 'Immigration, Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2010 up to and including 2016. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, European Union (excluding the Netherlands)' has been adjusted for 1998 and 2004. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Indonesia, Suriname and the Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2010 up to and including 2016. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Suriname and Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2010 up to and including 2016. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Netherlands Antilles' has been corrected for 2010 up to and including 2016. - 'Emigration excluding administrative corrections, Turkey' has been corrected for 2012. The corrections are the result of manual actions. The differences concern rounding differences and are minimal. The adjustments with regard to the European Union are generally the result of a changed calculation method. When will the new figures be published? The figures for the population development in 2019 and the population on 1 January 2020 will be published in the first quarter of 2021.

Netherlands Number of Immigrants: Turkey data was reported at 5,928.000 Person in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 4,514.000 Person for 2016. Netherlands Number of Immigrants: Turkey data is updated yearly, averaging 4,514.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2017, with 23 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 6,703.000 Person in 2003 and a record low of 2,855.000 Person in 2007. Netherlands Number of Immigrants: Turkey data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Statistics Netherlands. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Netherlands – Table NL.G005: Number of Immigrants: by Country.

Of the 17.81 million people living in the Netherlands in 2023, roughly 4.83 million people had a migration background, defined as first or second generation migrants. Of the non-Western population, the majority of the inhabitants had a Turkish background, as can be seen in this statistic on the background of the non-Western population in the Netherlands. The second-largest group is formed by the population with a Moroccan background.