The number of immigrants living in the European Union rose to a record 64.2 million in 2025, increasing by roughly 2.1 million from the previous year, according to a new report from the Centre for Research and Analysis on Migration at RFBerlin.

The total marks a significant rise from approximately 40 million in 2010, based on data compiled from Eurostat and the UN Refugee Agency, reflecting long-term migration trends across the bloc.

Germany remains the largest destination for foreign-born residents, with nearly 18 million immigrants, about 72% of whom are of working age. Spain has seen the fastest recent growth, adding around 700,000 people to reach approximately 9.5 million foreign-born residents.

Researchers noted that migration patterns vary widely across member states. Smaller countries such as Luxembourg, Malta, and Cyprus have higher proportions of immigrants relative to their population size.

Asylum applications are also concentrated in a handful of countries, with Spain, Italy, France, and Germany accounting for nearly three-quarters of all claims filed across the bloc.

Germany also hosts the largest number of refugees overall, with an estimated 2.7 million, underscoring its central role in Europe’s migration landscape.

The report highlights the continued impact of migration on population growth, labor markets, and public policy debates across the European Union.