The refugee population in the EU increased dramatically from about 1 million in 2014 to 7.8 million in 2024, driven first by the Syrian crisis and then by the much larger and faster inflow following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. While Germany remains the main host country, recent years have seen accelerated and uneven growth across member states, alongside renewed pressure on asylum systems with rising application backlogs.
Employment rates in the EU have risen across all groups, with EU migrants consistently outperforming both natives and non-EU migrants, while non-EU migrants have made gains but still lag behind. These gaps are largely driven by lower employment among non-EU women, as employment rates for men are similar across groups.
Tertiary education levels among migrants in the EU have steadily increased, with EU migrants reaching levels close to natives and non-EU migrants narrowing the gap over time. However, significant differences persist across countries and groups, with women generally more educated than men and outcomes varying widely depending on national contexts.
