From January to December 2024, around 66,000 migrants arrived in Italy by sea. Between 2014 and 2024, the number of migrants setting foot in the country peaked in 2016 at 181,000 individuals, whereas in 2019 only 11,400 people were rescued from the sea. In fact, stricter immigration policies were enacted between 2018 and 2019 by the right-wing and populist government supported by the League and the Five-Star Movement. Among the most frequent countries of origin declared upon arrivals in 2024, Bangladesh and Syria ranked in the first places. About 13,800 were Bangladeshi citizens, while around 12,500 immigrants came from Syria. Asylum seekers and minors among the migrants In 2023, the largest number of asylum applicants in Italy were from Bangladesh. In fact, 23,450 requests were recorded as of December 2023, while 18,300 applicants were from Egypt, the second most common nationality among asylum seekers. In recent years, many unaccompanied minors reached the Italian coasts. In 2024, 8,043 children migrated without their parents into the country. Contrasting opinions and distorted perceptions  According to the data published by Ipsos, a part of Italians tend to overestimate the size of the immigrated population. The results of this survey uncovered the presence of distorted perceptions in 2018: people thought that about 28 percent of the Italian population was not born in Italy, whereas the actual percentage was around ten. Furthermore, the public opinion on migration was controversial. In the same year, roughly half of the population perceived migrants as a risk for the Italian economy. On the other hand, 18 percent of Italians believed that migration could be a resource for the country.

From January to December 2018, the number of migrants arrived in Pozzallo (Sicily) amounted to 3,818, the largest value nationwide. Moreover, Lampedusa registered 3,468 arrivals, ranking second in the chart. In 2018, about 23.4 thousand migrants landed in Italy. In 2021, Tunisian and Bangladeshi were the most frequent nationalities of migrants. In particular, 11 thousand people came from Tunisia, whereas 5.3 thousands were from Bangladesh.

In 2025, the European country registering the largest number of migrants' arrivals was Italy. As of June 2025, 27,000 immigrants reached the Italian peninsula by sea. Spain had the second-largest number of arrivals by sea, 16,400 immigrants, both from the Wester Mediterranean route and the Wester African Atlantic route.

From January to June 2025, the highest number of illegal immigrants that arrived in Spain via land and sea came from Mali, with approximately ***** people. The immigrants from Senegal and Algeria were the second and third most numerous group, with ***** and ***** people leaving their country of residence, respectively. More than ****** illegal immigrants reached the Iberian country in 2024. A risky journey Spain, together with Italy and Greece, are the main points of entry to Europe for illegal migration. Most arrivals happen through the Mediterranean Sea, which is a very dangerous journey for migrants. While active since 2006, the migration route from the coasts of West Africa to the Canary Islands (the closest territory of the European Union) has become particularly popular in recent years, even though so many people lost their lives their. Undocumented minors Among those reaching the Spanish territory are undocumented and unaccompanied minors, known in Spanish as "menas” (Menores Extranjeros No Acompañados). In 2018, the number of unaccompanied and separated children that arrived by sea exceeded *****, which represented the largest figure since at least 2014. This number decreased by approximately ***** cases in 2020. Nearly half of them came from Morocco, separated from Spain by merely ** kilometres of water at the Gibraltar Strait's narrowest point.

In 2024, the net migration rate in France reached *******. In recent years Europe and France have seen more people arrive than depart. The net migration rate is the difference between the number of immigrants (people coming into an area) and the number of emigrants (people leaving an area) throughout the year. France's highest net migration rate was reached in 2018 when it amounted to *******. Armed conflicts and economic migration are some of the reasons for immigration in Europe. The refugee crisis Studies have shown that there were ******* immigrant arrivals in France in 2022, which has risen since 2014. The migrant crisis, which began in 2015 in Europe, had an impact on the migration entry flows not only in France but in all European countries. The number of illegal border crossings to the EU over the Eastern Mediterranean route reached a record number of ******* crossings in 2015. Immigration in France Since the middle of the 19th century, France has attracted immigrants, first from European countries (like Poland, Spain, and Italy), and then from the former French colonies. In 2023, there were approximately *** million people foreign-born in France. Most of them were living in the Ile-de-France region, which contains Paris, and in Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur in the Southeastern part of the country. In 2022, the majority of immigrants arriving in France were from Africa and Europe.

******** ranked as the country of origin of the largest immigration group arriving into Spain in 2023, as revealed by the latest data. Over ******* people migrated from the South American country to Spain that year. The second largest group was comprised by ********* with around ******* newcomers. A matter of balance The net migration rate of Spain changed its course mainly due to the great inflow of foreigners that move to reside in the Mediterranean country. Spain’s immigration flow slowed down after the 2008 financial crisis, albeit the number of foreigners that opted to change their residence saw a significant growth in the last years. In 2023, Moroccans ranked first as the foreign nationality residing Spain, followed by people from Romania and the Colombians. Spain does not have the highest number of immigrants in Europe In recent years, the European Union confronted a rising number of refugees arriving from the Middle East and Africa. Migration figures show that Germany accommodated approximately ** million foreign-born citizens, ranking it as the country that most hosted immigrants in Europe in 2023. By comparison, Spain’s foreign population stood over ***** million, positioning the Western Mediterranean country third on the European list of foreign-born population. Unfortunately, thousands of persons have died or gone missing trying to reach Spanish territory, as more and more irregular migrants opt to use dangerous maritime routes to arrive at Southern Europe from Africa's coasts.