Immigration to France



According to the French National Institute of Statistics INSEE, the 2021 census counted nearly 7 million immigrants (foreign-born people) in France, representing 10.3% of the total population. This is a decrease from INSEE statistics in 2018 in which there were 9 million immigrants (foreign-born people) in France, which at the time represented 14% of the country's total population.

The area with the largest proportion of immigrants is the Parisian urban area (Greater Paris), where almost 40% of immigrants lived in 2012. Other regions with important immigrant populations are Rhône-Alpes (Lyon) and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur (Marseille).

The Paris region is a magnet for immigrants, hosting one of the largest concentrations of immigrants in Europe. As of 2006, about 45% of people (6 million) living in the region were either immigrant (25%) or born to at least one immigrant parent (20%).

Among the 802,000 newborns in metropolitan France in 2010, 27.3% had one or both parents foreign-born, and about one quarter (23.9%) had one parent or both born outside of Europe. Including grandparents, about 22% of newborns in France between 2006 and 2008 had at least one foreign-born grandparent (9% born in another European country, 8% born in Maghreb and 2% born in another region of the world).

In 2014, the National Institute of Statistics (INSEE) published a study reporting that the number of Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian immigrants in France between 2009 and 2012 has doubled. This increase resulting from the financial crisis that hit several European countries in that period, has pushed up the number of Europeans settled in France. Statistics on Spanish immigrants in France show a growth of 107 percent between 2009 and 2012, i.e. in this period went from 5,300 to 11,000 people.

Of the total of 229,000 new foreigners coming to France in 2012, nearly 8% were Portuguese, British 5%, Spanish 5%, Italians 4%, Germans 4%, Romanians 3%, and Belgians 3%.

By 2022, the total number of new foreigners coming to France rose above 320,000 for the first time, with nearly a majority coming from Africa. A significant increase in students, family reunification and labor migration occurred under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron.

History
France's population dynamics began to change in the middle of the 19th century, as France joined the Industrial Revolution. The pace of industrial growth attracted millions of European immigrants over the next century, with especially large numbers arriving from Poland, Belgium, Portugal, Italy, and Spain. In the wake of the First World War, in which France suffered six million casualties, significant numbers of workers from French colonies came. By 1930, the Paris region alone had a North African Muslim population of 70,000.

Large numbers of Belgians immigrated to France in the late 19th century (there were nearly 500,000 Belgians in France in 1886), as well as Italians. The interwar era was marked by the arrival of numerous Poles (500,000 in 1931), Spaniards, Russians and Armenians.

1945–1974
Right after the Second World War, immigration to France significantly increased. During the period of reconstruction, France lacked labor, and as a result, the French government was eager to recruit immigrants coming from all over Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia.

Although there was a presence of Vietnamese in France since the late 19th century (mostly students and workers), a wave of Vietnamese migrated to the country after the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and the Geneva Accords, which granted Vietnam its independence from France in 1954. These migrants consisted of those who were loyal to the colonial government and those married to French colonists. Following the partition of Vietnam, students and professionals from South Vietnam continued to arrive in France. Although many initially returned to the country after a few years, as the Vietnam War situation worsened, a majority decided to remain in France and brought their families over as well.

This period also saw a significant wave of immigrants from Algeria. As the Algerian War started in 1954, there were already 200,000 Algerian immigrants in France. However, because of the tension between the Algerians and the French, these immigrants were no longer welcome. This conflict between the two sides led to the Paris Massacre of 17 October 1961, when the police used force against an Algerian demonstration on the streets of Paris. After the war, after Algeria gained its independence, the free circulation between France and Algeria was once again allowed, and the number of Algerian immigrants started to increase drastically. From 1962 to 1975, the Algerian immigrant population increased from 350,000 to 700,000. Many of these immigrants were known as the "harkis," and the others were known as the "pieds-noirs." The "harkis" were Algerians who supported the French during the Algerian War; once the war was over, they were deeply resented by other Algerians, and thus had to flee to France. The "pieds-noirs" were Europeans settlers who moved to Algeria, but migrated back to France since 1962 when Algeria declared independence.

Additionally, the number of Pakistani and Japanese immigrants also increased during this period. There was also a great number of students and workers from former French colonies in Africa. In the 1960s, there was a wave of Portuguese, Moroccan and Turk immigrants.

With this massive influx of immigrants, France became an asylum for refugees. According to the convention in Geneva, refugee status was granted to four out of five immigrant applicants. Many of these refugees came from countries in Eastern Europe (i.e. Hungary) and Latin America, because they feared the dictatorship in their home countries.

Although the majority of immigrants at this time came from rural regions, only 6% of them were willing to work in agriculture. About two-thirds of the immigrants worked in mining, steel, construction, and automotive industries. Approximately 12% of male immigrants and the majority of female immigrants worked in domestic services, restoration, and commerce (as for French women, a woman working was subject to her husband's authorisation until 1965. ) Minor and aged immigrants usually worked in craftsmanship and small scale trades.

1974–present
During the 1970s, France simultaneously faced economic crisis and allowed immigrants (mostly from the Muslim world) to permanently settle in France with their families and to acquire French citizenship. It resulted in hundreds of thousands of Muslims, especially to the larger cities, living in subsidized public housing and suffering from very high unemployment rates. Alongside this, France renounced its policy of assimilation, instead pursuing a policy of integration.

In 1974, France restricted immigration from its former colonies, but immigration from former colonies in the Maghreb and West Africa would end up steadily increasing under the presidencies of Nicolas Sarkozy, François Hollande and Emmanuel Macron. In the late 20th century and in the 21st century, immigration has diversified, with many immigrants originating from Sub-Saharan Africa (922,000 in 2019), Asia (486,000 in 2019) and Latin America. In addition, the enlargement of the European Union has led to more Eastern European immigrants.

According to an Ipsos poll in September 2019, 65% of respondents in France said that accepting migrants did not improve the situation in France and 45% responded that accepting migrants deprived the French of social services.

In 2019, 46.5% of all immigrants were born in Africa, 35.3% were born in Europe, 14.7% in Asia and 5.4% in the Americas and Oceania.  In 2020, non-EU citizens had employment rates less than 50% in the southern and southwestern regions of France and in the north and northeastern regions and was above 65% only in the Burgundy region.

The African proportion of both migrants and residents in France is increasing, as by 2022, nearly a majority, 48.2%, of all immigrants living in France come from Africa, 32.3% come from Europe, 13.5% come from Asia and 6% come from the Americas and Oceania. 61.7% of all immigrants living in France come from non-European origins in 2022. By 2022, the total number of new foreigners coming to France rose above 320,000 for the first time, with a significant increase in students, family reunification and labor migration from African and Asian countries happening under the presidency of Emmanuel Macron.

A 2023 survey carried out by Jean-Paul Gourévitch for the Contribuables associés association (English: Associated Taxpayers) found that the estimated cost of immigration to France for French taxpayers was of about €53.9 billion per year, four times more than the Justice ministry's yearly budget.

Europeans
In 2014, the National Institute of Statistics (INSEE, for its acronym in French) published a study on Thursday, according to which has doubled the number of Italian, Portuguese and Spanish immigrants in France between 2009 and 2012. According to the French Institute, this increase resulting from the financial crisis that hit several European countries in that period, has pushed up the number of Europeans installed in France. Statistics on Spanish immigrants in France show a growth of 107 percent between 2009 and 2012, i.e. in this period went from 5300 to 11,000 people. Of the total of 229,000 foreigners arriving to France in 2012, nearly 8% were Portuguese, British 5%, Spanish 5%, Italians 4%, Germans 3%, and Belgians 3%.

With the increase of Italian, Portuguese and Spanish immigrants to France, the weight of European immigrants arrived in 2012 to 46 percent, while this percentage for African reached 30%, with a presence in Morocco (7%), Algeria (7%) and Tunisia (3%). Meanwhile, 14 percent of all immigrants who settled in France that year were from Asian countries—3% of China and 2% in Turkey, while in America and Oceania constitute 10% of Americans and Brazilians accounted for higher percentage, 2 percent each.

By 2022, as a result of rapidly increasing African immigration into France, the proportion of European immigrants declined from 46% in 2012 to 32.3%.

Maghrebis
French of Maghrebi (Arabs and Berbers) origin in France form the largest ethnic group after French of European origin.

According to Michèle Tribalat, a researcher at INED, there were 3.5 million people of Maghrebi origin (with at least one grandparent from Algeria, Morocco or Tunisia) living in France in 2005 corresponding to 5.8% of the total French metropolitan population (60.7 million in 2005). Maghrebis have settled mainly in the industrial regions in France, especially in the Paris region. Many famous French people like Edith Piaf, Isabelle Adjani, Arnaud Montebourg, Alain Bashung, Dany Boon, Zinedine Zidane and Karim Benzema have Maghrebi ancestry.

In 2005, the percentage of young people under 18 of Maghrebi origin (at least one immigrant parent) were about 7% in Metropolitan France, 12% in Greater Paris, 13% in Lyon, 21% in Perpignan, 22% in French département of Seine-Saint-Denis, 37% in 18th arrondissement of Paris and 40% in several arrondissements of Marseilles.

16% of newborns in France between 2006 and 2008 have at least one Maghrebi grandparent.

Their number increased in the following years. According to other sources between 5 and 6 million people of Maghrebi origin live in France corresponding to about 7-9% of the total French metropolitan population.

As of 2011, there were 4.5 million Algerians in France of which 42% were women.

By 2022, as result of both The African proportion of both migrants and residents in France increasing, nearly a majority, 48.2%, of all immigrants living in France come from Africa. Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia are the main countries of origin for immigrants into France in 2022.

Marginalization of Muslim and Arab immigrants
The Constitution of France states it is illegal for the state to gather information on race and ethnicity in the census. In 2020, research was conducted by mapping where there was a high presence of Islamic institutions to prove that income segregation was prominent in Paris amongst Islamic migrants. Banlieues are lower-income suburban areas of France, historically known as "religious ghettos" occupied by African and Islamic immigrants. These areas  hold  higher numbers of Islamic institutions compared to urban, more wealthier areas, which concludes a high population of Islamic immigrants in the area.

This segregation of cultures and identities can allow for these groups to flourish without intervention from the other groups as seen as well with the creation and destruction of the Calais Jungle. The Calais Jungle was a homeless encampment located by the border of France. During the 2015 European Refugee Crisis there was an influx of asylum seekers moving into the Calais Jungle. Formerly a landfill, migrants and asylum were able to replicate an urban style of living with the establishment of stores, restaurants, schools and places of worship, while they waited for the government to determine their fate. The Calais Jungle received support from NGOs and grassroot organizations even after the French government dismantled the area in 2016. Just like the banlieues in France, the living conditions of the Calais Jungle are hazardous and unkept with high levels of state authority violence. People living in these areas with high migrant populations reported insufficient food, water and healthcare.

The large population of Islamic and African immigrants in banlieus has allowed for different marginalized groups to thrive independently but can institute poverty traps - making it difficult for them to be fully integrated.

Sub-Saharan Africans
Immigrants from Sub-Saharan Africa come primarily from the countries of Francophone Africa in West Africa and Central Africa, and also Madagascar. The most common countries of birth for these immigrants are Madagascar, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, DRC, Mali, Republic of the Congo, Mauritius, Comoros and Guinea. Some of these immigrants have been settling in France for over a century, and were employed in various jobs such as soldiers (Senegalese Tirailleurs) and domestic workers; while others, such as Malians in France, started arriving mainly from the 1960s onward.

North Americans and South Americans
An important community of immigrants from North America to France are Haitians in France. Citizens of the United States of America total more than 100,000 permanent residents in France, Canadians 11,931, followed by Latin Americans are a growing sub-group the most numerous are the Brazilians 44,622, followed by Venezuelans 30,000, Peruvians 22,002, Chileans (esp. arrived in the 1970s) 15,782, and Argentineans 11,899 (or up to 15,000). Latin Americans are increasingly emigrating to France for economic reasons, study, work, family, and sometimes political asylum.

State provisioning on illegal immigration
Illegal immigration to France has developed as the country's immigration policy has become more rigid. In 2006, the French Ministry of the Interior estimated clandestine immigrants ("sans-papiers") in his country numbered anywhere between 200,000 and 400,000, also expecting between 80,000 and 100,000 people to enter France illegally each year.

In 2011, 28,000 of such people were expelled from France. The French government set a goal of 35,000 for the next year.

The French government threatened to withdraw from the Schengen accord in 2009, 2011 and 2012.

As of 2016, many undocumented immigrants tried to jump the fences at Calais and board a train or truck heading for the United Kingdom. The Home Office has agents working alongside French police and immigration agents to prevent unauthorized people from entering the British border zone.

Île-de-France
In France, the three largest cities (Paris, Lyon and Marseille) also attract the largest share of immigrants to the country. The region with the largest proportion of immigrants is the Île-de-France (Greater Paris), where 40% of immigrants live. Immigrants are more concentrated in urban areas than the native population. 90.1% of the immigrant population is located in urban areas which is significantly more than the proportion for the native population, 81.9% of them living in urban areas. In 2012, 38.2% of the total immigrant population lived in the Parisian urban area compared to 4.1% and 3.1% respectively for Lyon and Marseille. According to INSEE, French National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies, responsible for the production and analysis of official statistics in France, about 35% of people (4 million) living in Île-de-France, are either immigrant (17%) or born to at least one immigrant parent (18%) in 2006.

In the city of Paris, 20% of people living are immigrants and 41.3% of people under 20 have at least one immigrant parent. Among the young people under 18, 12.1% are of Maghrebi origin, 9.9% of Subsaharan African origin (not including blacks from French West Indies) and 4.0% of South European origin. 436,576 immigrants live in Paris, representing 20% of Parisians and 22.4% of immigrants in Ile-de-France. 162 635 children under 20 with at least one immigrant parent live in Paris, representing 41.3% of the total of children under 20 in Paris and 15.4% of the total of children under 20 with at least one immigrant parent in Ile-de-France

Statistics
According to UN estimates from mid-2020, the most common countries of birth of the foreign born population in France were: Algeria (1,637,000), Morocco (1,060,000), Portugal (640,000), Tunisia (445,000), Turkey (340,000), Italy (326,000), Spain (282,000), Germany (203,000), United Kingdom (170,000), Belgium (164,000).

By region of origin
Immigration into France was expected to exceed 300,000 in the early 2020s, as shown in table below.

By country
Recent immigrants arriving to France as per 2014 and 2023:

INSEE Data Reporting
With the increase of Spanish, Portuguese and Italians in France, the weight of European immigrants arrived in 2012 to 46 percent, while this percentage for African reached 30%, with a presence in Morocco (7%), Algeria (7%) and Tunisia (3%). Meanwhile, 14 percent of all immigrants who settled in France that year were from Asian countries - 3% of China and 2% in Turkey, while in America and Oceania constitute 10% of Americans and Brazilians accounted for higher percentage, 2 percent each.

In 2008, according to The National Institute of Statistics (INSEE), there were 12 million immigrants and their direct descendants (2nd generation) making up about 20% of the population. with an immigrant defined as a foreign born person without French citizenship at birth. Without considering citizenship at birth, people not born in metropolitan France and their direct descendants made up 30% of the population aged 18–50 in metropolitan France in 2008.

In 2008, there were 5.3 million immigrants corresponding to 8.5% of the total population in France (63.9 million in 2008). 42% were from Africa (30% from Maghreb and 12% from Sub-Saharan Africa), 38% from Europe (mainly from Portugal, Italy and Spain), 14% from Asia and 5% from the Americas and Oceania. Of this total, 40% have assumed French citizenship. In addition, 1.8 million people born in foreign countries (including 1 million in Maghreb) with French citizenship at birth were not included in this total.

There were also 6.7 million direct descendants of immigrants (born in France with at least one immigrant parent) living in France in 2008, corresponding to 11% of the total population in France. Immigrants aged 18–50 count for 2.7 million (10% of population aged 18–50) and 5.3 million for all ages (8% of population). 2nd Generation aged 18–50 make up 3.1 million (12% of 18–50) and 6.5 million for all ages (11% of population). The regions with the largest proportion of immigrants and direct descendants of immigrants are the Île-de-France and Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur/Languedoc-Roussillon, where more than one third and one quarter of the inhabitants respectively were either immigrants or direct descendants of immigrants.

The table shows immigrants and 2nd generation immigrants by origin in 2008. It leaves aside 3rd generation immigrants, illegal immigrants, as well as ethnic minorities with long-standing French citizenship like black people from the French overseas territories residing in metropolitan France (800,000), Roms (500,000) or people born in the Maghreb with French citizenship at birth and their descendants (about 4 million Maghrebi Jews, Harkis and Pied-Noirs and their descendants live in France ).

In 2005, 18.1% of young people under 18 were of foreign origin (at least one immigrant parent) in France including 13.5% of non-European origin. Ile-de-France has the highest proportion of total young people with foreign origins, including Europe and non-European, at about 37%.

People under 18 of Maghrebi, Sub-saharian and Turkish origin became a majority in several cities of Ile-de-France (Clichy-sous-Bois, Mantes-la-Jolie, Grigny, Saint-Denis, Les Mureaux, Saint-Ouen, Sarcelles, Pierrefitte-sur-Seine, Garges-lès-Gonesse, Montfermeil, La Courneuve, Sevran, Aubervilliers, Dreux, Argenteuil, Évry, Stains, Gennevilliers et Épinay-sur-Seine), in Vénissieux, Rillieux-la-Pape and Vaulx-en-Velin in Lyon, Wazemmes in Lille, in Grand Parc in Bordeaux, and in several arrondissements of Marseilles. In Grigny, 31% of young people are of Sub-saharian origin.

Between 2006 and 2008 about 22% of newborns in France had at least one foreign-born grandparent (9% born in another European country, 8% born in Maghreb and 3% born in another region of the world).

In 2010, 27.3% of the 802,000 newborns in metropolitan France had at least one foreign-born parent. In 2010, about one quarter (24%) of all the newborns had at least one parent born outside of Europe, with about 17% of newborns in France having at least one parent originate from Africa (11% from Maghreb and 6% from Subsaharan Africa).

Posted workers of Europe
Regarding the country of origin of "posted workers", the same document states the origin of the posted workers: Poles represent the largest contingent of employees posted to France (18% of the total), followed by the Portuguese (15%) and Romania (13%). The majority of these employees, about 60% comes from the historical countries of the European Union, but the share from the new Member States "EU" is growing very rapidly, and the nationals of countries outside "EU "also increases.

Citizenship clauses
Children born in France to foreign parents with legal long-term residence in France are automatically granted French citizenship upon reaching the age of 18. People born abroad and living in France can acquire French citizenship if they satisfy certain conditions. In 2009 the number of naturalised persons was 135,000, with the largest contingent from Maghreb (41.2%). People who have worked in the French military can also get French citizenship.

Comparison with other European Union countries 2023
According to Eurostat 59.9 million people lived in the European Union in 2023 who were born outside their resident country. This corresponds to 13.35% of the total EU population. Of these, 31.4 million (9.44%) were born outside the EU and 17.5 million (3.91%) were born in another EU member state.