Malta's immigration rate was 75% higher than any other EU state's in 2023

Malta welcomed roughly 75 per cent more migrants per capita than any other EU member state in 2023, according to recent data.

That year – the latest year for which data was available – some 76 migrants moved to Malta for every 1,000 people in the population, recent Eurostat data shows. This was significantly higher than other member states in the EU, with second-highest Cyprus reporting 43 new immigrants per 1,000 people.

Luxembourg was third, recording 40 immigrants per capita, followed by Spain and Ireland, both taking in around 26.

Slovakia, France and Italy, meanwhile, saw the lowest levels of immigration.

While providing data for all countries in the union, the report noted that some country results were based on provisional data or did not include the number of asylum seekers or Ukrainian refugees – though none of these were applicable to Malta.

Malta saw significantly higher per capita immigration than any other country in the EU. Graphic: Eurostat.

Where did migrants to Malta move from? 

Just under one-fifth of immigrants to Malta in 2023 came here from other EU member states. The rest moved to Malta from countries outside the union.

That is not, however, the highest percentage across the EU. 

Nine EU member states welcomed a higher proportion of migrants from outside the EU, led by Czechia and Lithuania (both 89%) and Ireland (87%). Just over 80% of immigrants to Malta were from outside the union, people who are often referred to as 'third country nationals' or TCNs.

In fact, just two EU member states reported more than half their immigrants coming from other EU member states: Luxembourg (86%) and Slovakia (58%). In all other member states, more than half of all immigrants in 2023 moved there from non-EU countries.

Just over four out of five immigrants to Malta were from outside the EU. Graphic: Eurostat.

In total, some 4.3 million people immigrated to the EU from non-EU countries, while 1.5 million people migrated between EU countries, the report said. It noted an estimated average of 10 migrants per capita moved to the EU from third countries.

Immigration has proven to be a contentious issue in Malta and abroad. Policymakers argue that declining birth rates and ageing populations mean migrants are needed to keep EU economies going. Critics say rapid immigration is undermining social cohesion. 

A Times of Malta exercise comparing the number of immigrants per capita with the proportion of those entering from outside the EU shows Malta saw an estimated 60 TCN migrants per capita move to the country in 2023, around six times the EU average.

That suggests Malta welcomed more non-EU migrants per capita than the total per capita number of immigrants – including both those from inside and outside the union – of any other country in 2023.

In September, a Times of Malta analysis of Eurostat figures released that month showed Malta issued significantly more new residence permits – those granted for the first time – in 2023 per capita than any other country in the EU, giving out around 7,400 permits per 100,000 people.