Immigration, emigration, and migration balance in the Netherlands 1995-2021

From 2008 onwards, the migration balance in the Netherlands was positive, meaning that more people settled in the Netherlands than leaving for newer pastures. In 2021, the migration balance was 107,200. In 2021, the number of people in the Netherlands with a migration background (defined as someone who has at least one parent born abroad) was over 4.3 million.

 Regions of origin

  In 2020, the largest group of immigrants in the Netherlands came from other European countries, followed by migrants from Asian countries and the Americas. Over 1.4 million immigrants in the Netherlands were either born in another European country themselves or had a parent coming from here one. The Polish were especially well-represented, with over 25,000 immigrants in 2020.  

Attitudes towards immigration

  In a 2017 survey, respondents were asked how they feel about immigration from other EU countries. 70 percent stated to be fairly or very positive about this. By comparison, only five percent of the respondents answered to feel very negative about EU migration. Respondents were less positive about migration from non-EU countries, but the share of people feeling fairly or very positive about this still reached 45 percent.