Migration in statistics
What Sweden and Europe actually measure
Countries measure migration with different variables: country of birth, citizenship or parents' background. This page shows harmonised Eurostat data where the same definition is used, and clearly marks what is missing or not comparable.
Sweden, 1 January 2025
2,199,046 foreign-born
20.8 % of the population (own calculation from the same Eurostat table, migr_pop3ctb)
1. Same family – different definitions
The same person can be counted in or out depending on the variable. The examples below are invented to show definitions – they are not statistics.
| Example | Situation | Counted as |
|---|---|---|
| Anna (example) | Born in Syria, Swedish citizen | Foreign-born · not a foreign citizen |
| Omar (example) | Born in Sweden, parents born in Syria | Native-born · 'second generation' under several national definitions |
| Lea (example) | Born in Germany, German citizen, lives in Sweden | Foreign-born (EU) · EU citizen |
2. Why and when
| Sweden | 20.8 % 2025 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 14.4 % 2025 | 2025 |
| Finland | 10.0 % 2025 | 2025 |
| Norway | 18.7 % 2025 | 2025 |
| Germany | 20.5 % 2025 · estimated by producer | 2025 · estimated by producer |
| Netherlands | 16.8 % 2025 | 2025 |
| France | 14.0 % 2025 · provisional | 2025 · provisional |
| EU27 | 14.4 % 2025 · see metadata, provisional | 2025 · see metadata, provisional |
About the measure and source
- Measures
- Persons resident on 1 January by own country of birth.
- Does not measure
- Citizenship, parents' background, ethnicity or length of stay.
- Population
- usual resident population, 1 January
- Numerator / denominator
- persons / —
- Data type
- Observation + own share calculation
- Source
- Eurostat migr_pop3ctb
- Producer version
- · retrieved
Countries (8)
All bars refer to the same year (2025) and group. Note and quality flag shown at each value.
| Sweden | 9,755,897 | |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 5,315,187 | |
| Finland | 5,224,870 | |
| Norway | 4,948,711 | |
| Germany | 71,184,865 | |
| Netherlands | 16,428,041 | |
| France | 62,414,394 provisional | provisional |
| EU27 | 405,729,577 see metadata, provisional | see metadata, provisional |
About the measure and source
- Population
- usual resident population, 1 January
- Numerator / denominator
- persons / —
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised)
- Source
- Eurostat migr_pop1ctz
- Producer version
- · retrieved
Countries (8)
All bars refer to the same year (2024) and group. Note and quality flag shown at each value.
| Sweden | 62,989 | |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 6,255 | |
| Finland | 11,512 | |
| Norway | 27,460 | |
| Germany | 288,670 | |
| Netherlands | 58,999 | |
| France | 103,661 | |
| EU27 | 1,177,232 |
About the measure and source
- Population
- persons acquiring citizenship during the year
- Numerator / denominator
- citizenships granted / —
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised)
- Source
- Eurostat migr_acq
- Producer version
- · retrieved
One-off measurement (EU-LFS ad hoc module 2021). Not an annual series and not directly comparable with other module years.
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About the measure and source
- Question
- Huvudsakligt skäl till att personen senast flyttade till landet (självrapporterat).
- Population
- utrikes födda 15–74 i privathushåll
- Denominator
- alla utrikes födda 15–74 i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation + own share
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS ad hoc-modul (delurval av EU-LFS). Små celler undertrycks eller flaggas u; andelar är egna beräkningar ur producentens tusental. Självrapporterat huvudskäl, inte uppehållstillståndets juridiska grund.
- Source
- Eurostat lfso_21obst03 · CC BY 4.0
One-off measurement (EU-LFS ad hoc module 2014). Not an annual series and not directly comparable with other module years.
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About the measure and source
- Question
- Huvudskäl till migration enligt 2014 års modul (annan kategoriindelning än 2021: ingen pensionskategori, utbildning utan 'training').
- Population
- första generationens invandrare i privathushåll (2014 års modulpopulation; tabellen saknar åldersdimension)
- Denominator
- alla första generationens invandrare i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation + own share
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS ad hoc-modul (delurval av EU-LFS). Små celler undertrycks eller flaggas u; andelar är egna beräkningar ur producentens tusental. Gruppen är medborgarskap (inte födelseland) bland utrikes födda; 'egna medborgare' = naturaliserade.
- Source
- Eurostat lfso_14b1dr · CC BY 4.0
One-off measurement (EU-LFS ad hoc module 2014). Not an annual series and not directly comparable with other module years.
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About the measure and source
- Question
- Antal år i landet vid intervjun 2014.
- Population
- första generationens invandrare i privathushåll (2014 års modulpopulation; tabellen saknar åldersdimension)
- Denominator
- alla första generationens invandrare i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation + own share
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS ad hoc-modul (delurval av EU-LFS). Små celler undertrycks eller flaggas u; andelar är egna beräkningar ur producentens tusental. Tvärsnitt 2014, inte en kohort som följs över tid.
- Source
- Eurostat lfso_14b1dr · CC BY 4.0
One-off measurement (EU-LFS ad hoc module 2008). Not an annual series and not directly comparable with other module years.
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About the measure and source
- Question
- Huvudskäl till migration enligt 2008 års modul.
- Population
- migranter 15–74 i privathushåll (2008 års moduldefinition)
- Denominator
- alla migranter 15–74 (producentens procent)
- Data type
- Observation
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS ad hoc-modul (delurval av EU-LFS). Små celler undertrycks eller flaggas u; andelar är egna beräkningar ur producentens tusental. Värdena är Eurostats egna procent; EU-gruppen avser EU27 2007–2013 och är inte samma som senare EU27_2020.
- Source
- Eurostat lfso_08cobr · CC BY 4.0
Not in the data foundation
- Age at migration: no Eurostat table by age at arrival found in the catalogue (searched 2026-10-12)
- Duration of residence 2021 and duration × reason 2008 (lfso_08resr) not retrieved
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
3. Work
Countries (8)
All bars refer to the same year (2025) and group. Note and quality flag shown at each value.
| Sweden | 74.0 % | |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 74.8 % | |
| Finland | 64.4 % | |
| Norway | 73.1 % | |
| Germany | 72.5 % | |
| Netherlands | 72.9 % | |
| France | 64.8 % definition differs | definition differs |
| EU27 | 70.8 % |
About the measure and source
- Population
- private households, EU-LFS (sample)
- Numerator / denominator
- employed / population 20–64 in the group
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised)
- Uncertainty
- Sample survey; flag u = low reliability, b = break in series
- Source
- Eurostat lfsa_ergacob
- Producer version
- · retrieved
Countries (8)
All bars refer to the same year (2025) and group. Note and quality flag shown at each value.
| Sweden | 15.0 % | |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 11.4 % | |
| Finland | 18.1 % | |
| Norway | 6.8 % | |
| Germany | 6.9 % | |
| Netherlands | 5.8 % | |
| France | 11.9 % definition differs | definition differs |
| EU27 | 9.5 % |
About the measure and source
- Population
- private households, EU-LFS (sample)
- Numerator / denominator
- unemployed / labour force 20–64 in the group
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised)
- Uncertainty
- Sample survey; flags preserved
- Source
- Eurostat lfsa_urgacob
- Producer version
- · retrieved
Unemployed means looking for and available for work. A person who is not employed is not automatically unemployed – they may be studying, on parental leave or ill.
Denominator: hela befolkningen 20–64 i gruppen
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About the measure and source
- Population
- privathushåll, EU-LFS (urval), age 20-64
- Numerator / denominator
- personer i arbetskraften (sysselsatta + arbetslösa) / hela befolkningen 20–64 i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised sample survey)
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS urvalsundersökning. Flaggor följer till output: u = låg tillförlitlighet, b = seriebrott (bl.a. IESS-förordningen 2021), d = avvikande definition, c = konfidentiell. 2021 års metodbyte (förordning (EU) 2019/1700) gör att jämförelse bakåt kräver försiktighet.
- Source
- Eurostat lfsa_argacob · CC BY 4.0
Not in the data foundation
- Long-term unemployment as a share of the labour force by country of birth: Eurostat publishes it only as a share of the unemployed (lfsa_upgacob)
- The same measures by citizenship (lfsa_argan, lfsa_esgan, lfsa_eoqgan etc.) exist at Eurostat but are not retrieved here
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
4. Living conditions and public finances
Countries (8)
All bars refer to the same year (2025) and group. Note and quality flag shown at each value.
| Sweden | 28.5 % | |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 23.0 % | |
| Finland | 24.6 % | |
| Norway | 20.2 % | |
| Germany | 25.6 % | |
| Netherlands | 28.5 % | |
| France | 29.3 % | |
| EU27 | 27.4 % |
About the measure and source
- Population
- EU-SILC (sample)
- Numerator / denominator
- persons below 60 % of median equivalised disposable income / population 18–64 in the group
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised)
- Uncertainty
- Income year = previous year in most countries
- Source
- Eurostat ilc_li32
- Producer version
- · retrieved
Countries (8)
All bars refer to the same year (2025) and group. Note and quality flag shown at each value.
| Sweden | 32.2 % | |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 25.7 % | |
| Finland | 20.5 % | |
| Norway | 15.9 % | |
| Germany | 27.6 % | |
| Netherlands | 13.5 % | |
| France | 26.0 % | |
| EU27 | 27.3 % |
About the measure and source
- Population
- EU-SILC (sample)
- Numerator / denominator
- persons in overcrowded households / population 18–64 in the group
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised)
- Source
- Eurostat ilc_lvho16
- Producer version
- · retrieved
Denominator:
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About the measure and source
- Population
- personer 18+ i privathushåll, EU-SILC (urval), age _GE18
- Numerator / denominator
- median av hushållets disponibla inkomst per konsumtionsenhet (modifierad OECD-skala), tilldelad varje person /
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised sample survey)
- Uncertainty
- EU-SILC urvalsundersökning. Flaggor följer till output: u = låg tillförlitlighet, b = seriebrott, d = avvikande definition. Inkomstår = föregående kalenderår i de flesta länder (i Irland de senaste 12 månaderna). PPS justerar för prisnivåskillnader mellan länder; det är inte nominella euro och inte en realserie över tid.
- Source
- Eurostat ilc_di16 · CC BY 4.0
At-risk-of-poverty (AROP) is relative: below 60% of the national median income. It is not a measure of absolute poverty. Income usually refers to the year before the survey year.
Not in the data foundation
- Children's own country of birth in child poverty: Eurostat publishes child poverty only by parents' country of birth (ilc_li34) and parents' citizenship (ilc_li33, not retrieved)
- Older 'severe material deprivation' (ilc_mddd16, EU 2020 indicator) not shown – different indicator from MSD
- ESO 2018:3 (Ruist) refugee lifecycle calculation: report page did not respond 2026-10-12, tables not read here
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
5. Education, language and settlement
Countries (8)
All bars refer to the same year (2025) and group. Note and quality flag shown at each value. No published value 2025 for: Norway – shown as missing, not zero, not replaced by another year.
| Sweden | 11.4 % low reliability | low reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Denmark | 12.8 % break in series | break in series |
| Finland | 14.1 % low reliability | low reliability |
| Norway | No datalow reliability | low reliability |
| Germany | 28.1 % | |
| Netherlands | 12.4 % | |
| France | 12.8 % definition differs | definition differs |
| EU27 | 20.5 % |
About the measure and source
- Population
- EU-LFS (sample)
- Numerator / denominator
- 18–24 with at most lower secondary education and not in education / population 18–24 in the group
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised)
- Source
- Eurostat edat_lfse_02
- Producer version
- · retrieved
Denominator: befolkningen 25–64 i privathushåll i gruppen
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About the measure and source
- Population
- privathushåll, EU-LFS (urval), age 25-64
- Numerator / denominator
- personer med högsta avslutade utbildning ISCED 5–8 / befolkningen 25–64 i privathushåll i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation (harmonised sample survey)
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS urvalsundersökning. Flaggor följer till output: u = låg tillförlitlighet, b = seriebrott (bl.a. IESS-förordningen 2021), d = avvikande definition, c = konfidentiell. 2021 års metodbyte (förordning (EU) 2019/1700) gör att jämförelse bakåt kräver försiktighet.
- Source
- Eurostat edat_lfs_9912 · CC BY 4.0
NEET does not mean unemployed: it covers both unemployed and inactive persons, and the denominator is the whole age group, not the labour force.
One-off measurement (EU-LFS ad hoc module 2021). Not an annual series and not directly comparable with other module years.
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About the measure and source
- Question
- Självskattad nivå i landets huvudspråk vid intervjun 2021 (modersmål, avancerad, mellan, grundläggande, ingen/minimal).
- Population
- utrikes födda 15–74 i privathushåll
- Denominator
- alla utrikes födda 15–74 i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation + own share
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS ad hoc-modul (delurval av EU-LFS). Små celler undertrycks eller flaggas u; andelar är egna beräkningar ur producentens tusental.
- Source
- Eurostat lfso_21lang02 · CC BY 4.0
One-off measurement (EU-LFS ad hoc module 2021). Not an annual series and not directly comparable with other module years.
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About the measure and source
- Question
- Har personen ansökt om formellt erkännande av sin utländska utbildning i värdlandet? (Utfallet av ansökan är en separat tabell, lfso_21educ03, inte hämtad.)
- Population
- personer 15–74 vars högsta utbildning är avslutad utomlands
- Denominator
- alla 15–74 med högsta utbildning från utlandet i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation + own share
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS ad hoc-modul (delurval av EU-LFS). Små celler undertrycks eller flaggas u; andelar är egna beräkningar ur producentens tusental.
- Source
- Eurostat lfso_21educ02 · CC BY 4.0
One-off measurement (EU-LFS ad hoc module 2021). Not an annual series and not directly comparable with other module years.
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About the measure and source
- Question
- Hur lång tid tog det efter ankomsten att hitta det första betalda jobbet? 'Pågår' = söker fortfarande, 'Aldrig' = har inte sökt/arbetat.
- Population
- alla utrikes födda 15–74 i privathushåll (även de som aldrig arbetat)
- Denominator
- alla utrikes födda 15–74 i gruppen
- Data type
- Observation + own share
- Uncertainty
- EU-LFS ad hoc-modul (delurval av EU-LFS). Små celler undertrycks eller flaggas u; andelar är egna beräkningar ur producentens tusental. Retrospektiv fråga – minnesfel och att tidigt utvandrade inte finns kvar i urvalet påverkar.
- Source
- Eurostat lfso_21obst04 · CC BY 4.0
Not in the data foundation
- Outcome of recognition applications (lfso_21educ03) and language courses (lfso_21lang04/05) exist at Eurostat but are not retrieved
- Language skills 2014 (lfso_14blang): not examined – not checked against 2021 and not merged
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
6. Second and later generations
Countries define the 'second generation' differently. Denmark counts 'descendants' based on parents' country of birth and citizenship, Sweden uses 'born in Sweden with two foreign-born parents', and France measures the third generation only in special studies. These definitions must not be placed in the same column, and Swedish data are not recalculated to other countries' definitions.
Not in the data foundation
- INSEE third generation (TeO2) identified but not retrieved
- Destatis breakdowns beyond totals not retrieved; GENESIS API requires a registered account
- CBS: pre-2022 series in the new classification not yet published; old classification not merged
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
7. Exposure to violence
Self-reported victimisation in surveys (e.g. EU-GBV, EIGE, FRA) measures something different from police records: sample, response rate and uncertainty must be stated. Such data are shown here only once retrieved and checked against the original.
Not in the data foundation
- EU-GBV by type of violence is not broken down by country of birth
- EU-GBV: citizenship and parents' country of birth not published; men not published
- FRA EU-MIDIS (targeted samples) – not examined
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
8. Crime and justice
Crime statistics distinguish reported offences, suspicions, unique suspects, prosecutions, convictions and victims. A suspicion is not an established offence, and the number of offences is not the number of offenders. Below is Brå's special study 2021:9 with values read from the original report. Then Statistics Denmark's ongoing tables by Danish origin are shown – a different measure (found guilty) and definition, hence a separate block not ranked against Sweden. Group differences in aggregate data say nothing about individuals or causes.
A special study, not an annual series. Population: persons aged 15+ registered in Sweden on 31 December 2014. Outcome: registered as suspected of at least one offence 2015–2018 (unique persons, not number of offences). Suspected does not mean convicted. Reference group (= 1.00): Swedish-born with two Swedish-born parents.
| Group | Persons | Share of population, % | Suspects | Share of suspects, % | Share suspected in group, % | Over-representation | Risk ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swedish-born with two Swedish-born parents | 5,821,794 | 72.17 | 184,857 | 51.39 | 3.18 | 0.71 | 1.00 |
| Swedish-born with one Swedish-born and one foreign-born parent | 501,211 | 6.21 | 29,726 | 8.26 | 5.93 | 1.33 | 1.86 |
| Swedish-born with two foreign-born parents | 261,695 | 3.24 | 26,754 | 7.44 | 10.22 | 2.30 | 3.21 |
| Foreign-born | 1,481,663 | 18.37 | 118,350 | 32.90 | 7.99 | 1.79 | 2.51 |
| Total population | 8,066,363 | 100 | 359,687 | 100 | 4.46 | 1.00 | — |
Over-representation = the group's share of suspects divided by its share of the population (1.00 = total). Risk ratio = share suspected in the group divided by the reference group's share (1.00). The measures differ and cannot be converted into each other or into counts without the table's denominators.
Source: Brå rapport 2021:9, table 1, printed p. 47.
Not in the data foundation
- Sweden: convictions and victims by background (no equivalent Brå study retrieved). Statistics Denmark: age-standardised crime index (publication unreachable 12 Oct). SSMSI, ONS/MoJ: suspects, convictions and victims by background
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
Existing crime statistics on Sverigefakta
Not in the data foundation
- France: SSMSI victims file and SDSE prosecutions/convictions not retrieved
- England and Wales: 2026 Home Office data, prison population and sexual offences by ethnicity not retrieved
- Scotland and Northern Ireland: not examined
Absence here does not mean it is not published anywhere.
9. What is published
The map shows what has actually been retrieved and checked for the 50 jurisdictions in scope (a research selection, not an official definition of Europe), topic by topic. A positive entry requires a saved original file with checksum and period. Most countries' own statistical offices have not yet been examined – 'not yet examined' does not mean statistics are missing, and 'outside the Eurostat extract' does not mean Eurostat or the country lacks data. The map is not a ranking.
United Kingdom: England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are different statistical populations with separate justice systems. UK justice data here cover England and Wales only; Scotland and Northern Ireland are not examined.
- Harmonised, retrieved
- Eurostat table retrieved with checksum; years = years with published values.
- National product, retrieved
- Country's own product retrieved with checksum; own definitions, not directly comparable.
- Identified, not yet integrated
- Relevant product found but not retrieved or shown.
- Not comparable
- Exists but measures something else.
- Access barrier
- Concrete barrier (login, source not responding).
- No publication found when checked
- An actual catalogue check found no such publication.
- Not yet examined
- No check made yet.
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