African Migrants in Europe

This paper examines the numbers and distribution of Africans living outside their countries of birth as well as migration flows from Africa to the EU27 during the period 2014–23. The paper finds that Africans have not become more mobile over the past three decades and that most African migrants reside in other African countries. Some 9 million Africans live in an EU country, accounting for 2% of the EU population. The largest numbers of African-born residents living in Europe are from Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. France is the main country of destination for all categories of arrivals from Africa.

The reality of African migration to Europe differs substantially from public perception, which focuses on irregular Mediterranean crossings. Between 2014 and 2023, about two-thirds of African immigrants arrived in the EU in a regular manner. As for the volume of flows, in the analysed period the bloc received 4.6 million African citizens. Out of this total, the EU admitted 3.6 million African citizens through rights-based migration. Marriage migration and family reunion were the main gate of entry, giving access to the EU to more than 1.8 million Africans; almost the same number were granted asylum in the EU. Only some 0.6 million came as students and 0.5 million as labour migrants. If European countries want to employ more Africans to fill vacant jobs, they will need to change the composition of inflows, with an emphasis on employability.

The volume and characteristics of future migrations from Africa to Europe are uncertain. Although survey data show the potential for more Africans arriving in the EU, migration policy decisions taken by EU countries will play an important role.

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