11 Countries with Highest Foreign Born Population

These 11 countries with highest foreign born population hosted more than a half of all international migrants. In 2013, 3.2 percent of the world population, or more than 231 million people lived outside their country of birth. Compared to 1990, the number of foreign nationals almost doubled.

Since UN adopted Declaration of Human Rights 67 years ago, freedom of movement has become one of the fundamental human rights. In Article 13 Declaration states that “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state” and “Everyone has the right to leave any country, including his own, and to return to his country.” However, the number of people who lost their lives while trying to exercise the right to free movement contradicts the Declaration. Since 2000, almost half a million people has died in an attempt to cross borders and among them, the majority were refugees fleeing from war zones. Latest available United Nation’s data shows that there were 16 million refugees in 2013 which accounted for 7 percent of total international migrants. However, given latest Syrian war, the number of displaced people is centrally much higher today, and it will probably continue to rise.

 Unlike refugees who are forced to leave their countries, the majority of international migrants are people who voluntary move to another place in search for employment and educational opportunities. When taken as a whole, migration is a complex phenomenon that equally affects migrant’s country of birth and country of residence. On one side, countries that host migrants have multiple gains – from cultural diversity to labor force. For instance, these 11 countries with highest aging population, in which the number of working age people has rapidly declined, have benefited from foreign workers. On the other side, countries that lose their human resources are at risk of rapid depopulation, which in turn affects economic growth and nation’s survival on the demographic map of the world. As expected developed regions host greater number of migrants. In 2013, Asia and Europe received two-thirds of all international migrants who mainly chose countries with high living standards as their final destination.

To create the list 11 countries with highest foreign born population we used as a source United Nation’s International Migrant Stock, which defines migrant as “an individual who has resided in a foreign country for more than one year irrespective of the causes, voluntary or involuntary, and the means, regular or irregular”. In the text we use the words migrant, foreign born person, foreigner interchangeably. However, it should be noted that there are differences in the way in which countries define these terms which in turn affects the final count of the foreign born population. More details about differences between countries can be found here. Besides UN report, we also consulted OECD data on migrations which compare migrants’ educational level and living standard across OECD countries.

11. Italy

Foreign born population: 5.721.457

Almost 6 million of foreigners living in Italy accounted for 9.4 percent of total population. The majority of them were born in other parts of Europe, Africa, and South America. As one of the countries that face a decline in working-age population, Italy has benefited from migrants influx. However, this is also the country that has witnessed one of the highest migrant death tolls. Only in a shipwreck in April this year, around 700 migrants died near Italian island Lampedusa while it is estimated that in this year around 3.000 refugees who used sea route across Mediterranean drowned.

10. Spain

Foreign born population: 6.466.605

Around six and half million foreign born people were living in Spain, constituting 13.8 percent of total population. People born in South America and Africa accounted for the largest share of migrants in the country. Although Spain is among the countries that have hosted the highest number of foreigners, in last years, it has also experienced high emigration rate. Because of economic crises and high unemployment in the first half of 2015 around 50,000 people left Spain. Compared to other OECD countries, Spain hosted less educated migrants. Also, unemployment rate among foreign born is higher that OECD average.

9. Australia

Foreign born population: 6.468.640

Oceania is the area with the largest share of the migrant population. Foreigners account for 20.7 percent of all people living in this part of the world, and Australia is usually their primary destination. Almost one-quarter of the total Australian population are foreign nationals who are coming from Europe and Asia. Since the 1970s, when Australia abandoned its white immigration policy that favored migrants coming from English speaking countries, the influx of Asians rapidly went up. People coming to Australia are better educated than in other OECD countries. Moreover, median household income in migrants’ families is in the top half of OECD countries.

8. Canada

Foreign born population: 7.284.069

In 2013, more than 7 million foreign nationals lived in Canada, which represented 20.7 percent of total population. While in the past Canada was mainly a top destination for Europeans, turn of the century saw significant changes as more and more people from Asia and Africa started moving to Canada. It is expected that in the future foreign born population will grow four times faster than Canadian born. Like Australia, Canada hosted more high-educated people compared to OECD average. Also, it ranks as the fifth country by employment rate among foreign born.

7. France

Foreign born population: 7.439.086

Almost 7 and a half million migrants accounted for 11.6 percent of people living in France in 2013. The majority of foreign nationals were from Europe, mainly Portugal, and former French colonies in Africa. Compared to other OECD countries, migrant community in France is less educated with the higher unemployment rate. Almost half of foreign born French residents are unemployed, and their median household income is among the lowest among OECD countries. Economic challenges along with poor integration are often cited as reasons for a violent outburst in migrant communities across France.

6. United Kingdom

Foreign born population: 7.824.131

With 7.8 million foreigners who account for 12.4 percent of total population, the UK is sixth on our list 11 countries with highest foreign born population. The majority of migrants are born in India, Poland, and Pakistan. The most recent data shows that foreign born population reached 8 million, although the rate of increase in a number of foreigners residing in the UK has slowed down in recent five years due to more restrictive visa policy. Moreover, UK has been one of the loudest proponents of restricting freedom of movement across EU. Recently, it has passed the law under which illegal immigrants working in the UK might end up in prison for 6 months.

5. United Arab Emirates

Foreign born population: 7.826.981

Between 2000 and 2013 Asia experienced greater migrant influx than any other continent. During this period around 1.6 million migrants annually came to live in Asia, the majority of them choosing UAE as their place of residence. In 2013, almost 8 million foreign born residents lived in the United Arab Emirates, constituting 83.7 percent of the country’s population, which represents the greatest share of migrants in total population in the world. Low skilled as well as high educated migrants come to UAE in search for employment and high living standard. However, many of them, especially low educated foreigners, became victims of modern day slavery. Last year Human Rights Watch published a report about abuse and exploitation of female migrant workers, while media extensively reported on inhumane conditions in which construction employees work. In response to growing allegations of violations of workers’ rights Ministry of Labor introduced new unified labor contract that should better protect non-native employees.

4. Saudi Arabia

Foreign born population: 9.060.433

More than 9 million foreigners residing in Saudi Arabia represent 31.4 percent of the country’s population. The country received greatest surge of migrants between 2000 and 2013, when the migrant population increased by around 40 percent. The majority of expatriates came from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Like UAE, Saudi Arabia relied on low skilled migrant labor force as an engine of economic development. However, low living standard and high unemployment among Saudi Arabia nationals influenced authorities to consider restricting options available for foreign born workers on the labor market.

3. Germany

Foreign born population: 9.845.244

Almost ten million foreigners residing in Germany accounted for 11.9 percent of country’s population in 2013. Given the number of refugees that Germany took in during this year, the number of foreign born people currently living in the country is much higher. It is estimated that by the end of 2016 Germany will have around two million refugees hosted. In the country that has one of the highest median age in the world, migrants can partly compensate rapid decrease of working age population on the labor market. However, in recent months voices opposing Germany’s policy of open borders have been accumulating, and it is expected that in the future Germany will impose some restrictions on granting entrance to refugees.

2. Russian Federation

Foreign born population: 11.048.064

In 2013, more than 11 million foreigners lived in Russia making 7.7 percent of total population. The majority of migrants are born in former Soviet Union countries, mainly Kazakhstan, the country of origin of around two million migrants residing in Russian Federation. Unlike other countries, Russia mainly hosted migrants who are ethnic Russians born in other Soviet Union countries. Besides ethnic Russians, low skilled workers from Europe and Asia constitute a large share of the migrant community. For instance, 40 percent of construction workers are immigrants who usually come from Ukraine, Turkey, and Balkan countries. Similar to UAE, low-skilled employees work in shadow economy and experience multiple violations of their rights – from irregular payments to situations in which employers take workers’ passport to limit their movement. The studies estimate that only 9 percent of labor migrants never experienced any form of coercion like debt bondage, involuntary work, limited freedom of movement.

1. The United States of America

Foreign born population: 45.785.090

As you might have predicted, America occupies the first place on our list 11 countries with highest foreign born population. In 2013, almost 46 million people residing in America were born in some other country, which represents 14.3 percent of total population. America is the country that hosted the largest share of migrants between 1990 and 2013 when 1 million migrants annually came to the US. The majority of migrants were born in Mexico, Chine, and India. Some surveys estimate that around one-third of the foreign born population are illegal emigrants who mainly come from Mexico, East Asia, and South America.