Residence permits – statistics on authorisations to reside and work

Data extracted: 18 December 2025.

Planned article update: December 2026.

Highlights

In 2024, more than 4.6 million non-EU citizens obtained the right to both reside and work in the EU through the single permit administrative procedure.

In 2024, Indian citizens received the highest number of authorisations to reside for study, research and other activities (52 890 authorisation), continuing the growth observed over the previous year.

A total of 273 897 authorisations for seasonal work in the EU were issued to non-EU citizens in 2024, 43% increase compared with 2023.

This article presents statistics on authorisations to reside and work issued by EU countries on the basis of specific EU directives, which require harmonised rules for non-EU citizens allowing them to receive legal residence and employment rights.

Overview of EU directives at EU and national level

Table 1 shows that single permits represent by far the largest legal path to obtaining residence and working rights in the EU. More than 4.6 million single permits were issued in the EU in 2024, representing a significant number of non-EU citizens benefiting from the simplified procedure of issuing residence rights together with a work permit.

The 4 other types of authorisations refer to specific groups of non-EU citizens being granted the right to work in EU countries. 475 138 residence permits were issued under the Student and researchers (SR) Directive, 273 897 under the Seasonal Workers (SW) Directive, 78 096 under the EU Blue Card (BC) Directive and 10 230 under the Intra-corporate transfers under the Intra-corporate transfers (ICT) Directive.

Single procedure for non-EU citizens to reside and work in the EU

More than 4.6 million single permits were issued in the EU in 2024

The number of single permits issued has risen for two consecutive years, reaching 4 607 257 in 2024. This was the highest number recorded, representing an increase of 13.6 % compared with 2023 (4 056 150 single permits issued) and 28.0 % compared with 2022 (3 598 032).

More than 60% of single permits issued in 2024 were extensions of an existing residence permit

In 2024, more than two-thirds of single permits issued in the EU were extensions of residence permits (67.6% or 3 113 809), which can be broken down to either renewals (61.9%) or change of status (5.7%) of existing residence permits (Figure 1). The remaining 32.4% (1 493 448) of single permits were issued for the first time i.e. an inflow in the reporting EU country. Nearly two thirds of the total number of single permits (61.9%) issued in the EU were issued by 3 countries in 2024: Portugal (1 214 086, 26.4% of the total), France (993 247 permits, 21.6%), and Spain (644 194, 14.0%) (Table 1).

Figure 1

EU Blue Cards issued to highly qualified non-EU citizens

More than 78 000 EU Blue Cards issued in 2024

The overall trend of EU Blue Cards issued in the EU shows a positive trend since 2016, except for 2020 when a decrease of 3.6% was recorded due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a decrease of 12.3% in 2024 probably due to the revision of the EU Blue Cards Directive (Figure 2). 78 096 EU Blue Cards were granted to non-EU citizens in 2024 after a record number of 89 055 in 2023, when an increase of 8.8% was recorded compared with the 81 846 EU Blue Cards granted in 2022.

Figure 2

Germany issued 56 252 EU Blue Cards in 2024 (72.0% of all EU Blue Cards issued)

Table 1 shows that, in 2024, the majority of EU Blue Cards in the EU (89.5%) were issued in 5 countries: Germany (56 252, 72.0% of the total), Poland (5 853, 7.5%), Hungary (2942, 3.8%), France (2 775, 3.6%) and Spain (1 924 or 2.5%). Conversely, 6 EU countries issued less than 100 EU Blue Cards in 2024: Greece (95 EU Blue Cards), Sweden (62), Estonia (41), Slovakia (32), Portugal (16) and Cyprus issued no EU Blue Cards.

Citizens of India were granted the highest number of EU Blue Cards in 2024

The top 10 countries whose citizens were granted EU Blue Cards in 2024 accounted for nearly two-thirds (63.3%) of the total 78 096 cards issued in the EU in 2024 (Figure 3). Of these, 16 268 EU Blue Cards were granted to citizens of India, representing 20.8% of all EU Blue Cards issued in the EU. The next largest numbers were for citizens of Russia (6 657 EU Blue Cards, 8.5% of the total), Türkiye (5 645, 7.2%), China (4 550, 5.8%), Belarus (3 533, 4.5%), Ukraine (3 524, 4.5%) and Iran (3503, 4.5%). In this top 10 countries list, 3 countries recorded less than 2 000 EU Blue Cards issued to the citizens of Syria (1 955), Tunisia (1 889), and United States (1 884).

Figure 3

Authorisations for seasonal work

273 897authorisations for seasonal work were issued in 2024

The total number of authorisations for seasonal work granted to non-EU citizens in the EU rose by 42.8 %, from 191 840 residence permits issued in 2023 to 273 897 in 2024. This follows the trend from the previous year, when 20.5 % more authorisations for seasonal work were granted compared with 2022.

Figure 4

Italy issued 146 099 authorisations for seasonal work in 2024

Table 1 shows that, in 2024, most authorisations for seasonal work in the EU were issued in the following 5 countries: Italy (146 099, 53.3% of the total), France (41 700, 15.2%), Spain (20 810, 7.6 %), Croatia (16 555, 6.0%) and Greece (15 206, 5.6%). On the opposite side of the ranking, 8 EU countries issued less than 100 authorisations for seasonal work in 2024: Cyprus (83), Slovakia (29) and Romania (19), and no authorisations to reside for seasonal work were issued in Hungary, Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal and the Netherlands.

Citizens of Morocco were granted the highest number of authorisations to reside for seasonal work in the EU in 2024

The top 5 countries whose citizens were granted authorisations for seasonal work in 2024 accounted for more than two-thirds (69.4%) of the total 273 897 authorisations for seasonal work issued in the EU in 2024 (Figure 5). Of these, 76 579 authorisations were granted to citizens of Morocco, which represented 28.0% of all authorisations for seasonal work issued in the EU. The next largest numbers and shares were for citizens of Bangladesh (53 567 authorisations for seasonal work, 19.6%), India (39 137, 14.3%), Tunisia (12 675, 4.6%) and Pakistan (8 240, 3.0%).

Figure 5

Authorisations for intra-corporate transfers

10 230 authorisations for intra-corporate transfers were issued in 2024

The number of intra-corporate transfer authorisations (referring to persons posted from a company operating outside the EU to a branch in one of the EU countries) granted to non-EU citizens changed the trend between 2021 and 2024, rising sharply from 6 260 in 2021 to over 10 000 in 2022–2023, and recording a slight decrease between 2023 and 2024 (from 10,846 to 10,230, a 5.7% drop).

Figure 6

The Netherlands issued nearly one-quarter of all authorisations to reside for intra-corporate transfers in 2024

Table 1 shows that, in 2024, most authorisations for intra-corporate transfers granted in the EU (82.9%) were issued by 5 countries: the Netherlands (2 400, 23.5% of the total), Hungary (1 985, 19.4%), France (1 784, 17.4%), Germany (1 556, 15.2%), and Spain (751, 7.3%). On opposite side of the ranking, 7 EU countries issued less than 20 authorisations in 2024: Slovakia (18 authorisations), Malta (12), Latvia (11), Portugal (4), Poland (1), and no authorisation to reside for intra-corporate transfers was issued in Estonia and Cyprus.

Citizens of India were granted the highest number of authorisations to reside for intra-corporate transfers in the EU in 2024

The top 5 countries whose citizens were granted authorisations for intra-corporate transfers in 2024 accounted for nearly three-quarters (74.1%) of the total 10 230 authorisations issued (Figure 7). Of these, 3 346 authorisations were granted to citizens of India, which represented 32.7% of all authorisations for intra-corporate transfers issued in the EU. The next largest numbers and shares were for citizens of China (2 181 authorisations for intra-corporate transfers, 21.3% of the total), South Korea (816, 8.0%), United Kingdom (653, 6.4%) and the United States (589, 5.8%).

Figure 7

Authorisations for students and researchers (and other related categories)

In 2024, 475 138 of authorisations for study, research and other activities were issued in the EU

The total number of authorisations for study, research and other related activities (authorisations issued to trainees, volunteers, school pupils and au pairs) granted to non-EU citizens in the EU increased between 2022 and 2024 (Figure 8). In 2022, 421 974 authorisations for students and researchers and other related categories were issued in the EU, followed by an increase in the following two years: 6.8% increase in 2023 (450 848 authorisations issued) and 5.4% increase in 2024 (475 138).

Figure 8

Germany issued nearly one-third of all authorisations for study, research and other activities in 2024

Table 1 shows that, in 2024, about three quarters of total authorisations for study, research and other activities in the EU were issued in the following 5 countries (75.1%): Germany (131 098, 27.6% of the total), France (118 430, 24.9%), Spain (59 384, 12.5%), the Netherlands (25 961, 5.5%) and Hungary (22 132, 4.7%). On the other side of the ranking, 4 countries issued less than 1000 authorisations: Estonia (782 authorisations), Croatia (522), and Ireland (400) while no authorisations to reside for study, research and other activities were issued in Greece.

Citizens of India were granted the highest number of authorisations to reside for study, research and other activities, in the EU in 2024

The top ten countries whose citizens were granted authorisations for study, research and other activities in 2024 accounted for nearly half of the total authorisations (47.4%) (Figure 9). Of these, 52 890 authorisations were granted to citizens of India, which represented 11.1% of all such authorisations in the EU. The next largest numbers were for citizens of China (43 985 authorisations, 9.3%), Morocco (22 918, 4.8%), United States (21 694, 4.6%), Türkiye (18 711, 3.9%), Iran (16 146, 3.4%), Pakistan (13 421, 2.8%), Brazil (12 049, 2.5%), Algeria (11 916, 2.5%), and Colombia (11 680 2.5%). All these 10 countries excepting China and Algeria recorded an increase in the last 2 years (2023 and 2024) (Figure 9). The greatest increase in 2024 in absolute numbers in comparison with 2023 was recorded by citizens of Iran (+9 181), Pakistan (+4 304) and Brazil (+4 075. A decrease was recorded by China (-3 009) and Algeria (-1 405).

Figure 9

Source data for tables and graphs

Residence permits – statistics on authorisations to reside and work: tables and figures

Data sources

The statistics presented in this article are collected by Eurostat on the basis of EU legal acts, covering specific areas of the legal migration of non-EU citizens to the EU countries: statistics on Single Permits, statistics on EU Blue Cards, statistics on Intra-Corporate Transfers, statistics on Seasonal Workers and statistics on Students and Researchers and other related categories.

EU directives are European Union (EU) legal acts that are transposed by EU Member States so they become law in the Member States. See more details here: EUR-Lex - European Union directives.

For more technical aspects and guidelines in relation to the collection of these statistics, please refer to definitions and methodological concepts.

Context

The topic of residence permits issued under the EU directives refers to the EU legal migration policy on working area that facilitates a balanced common EU migration policy from which migrants, countries of origin, and countries of destination benefit. These EU legal acts are part of the legal migration policy that support the EU's green and digital transition, while making European societies more cohesive and resilient.

In practice, the EU has developed rules to harmonise Member States' conditions of entry and residence for certain categories of nationals from non-EU countries. This includes entry and residence for labour purposes, such as highly qualified workers, seasonal workers, intra-corporate transfers, students and researchers and other categories. Single permit procedure is also important in this context, expressing the policy that promotes simplified procedure of issuing the residence permits for different reason together with the right to work, helping the integration of migrants and reducing the bureaucracy at the same time.

For further information on these and other measures (seasonal workers and intra-corporate transferees) please refer to the European Commission webpage on labour migration.

Explore further

Database

Managed migration (migr_man), see:

Residence permits (migr_res)

Residence permits by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resval)

First permits by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resfirst)

First permits issued for family reasons by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resfam)

First permits issued for education reasons by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resedu)

First permits issued for remunerated activities by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resocc)

First permits issued for other reasons by reason, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resoth)

Change of immigration status permits by reason and citizenship (migr_reschange)

All valid permits by reason, length of validity and citizenship on 31 December of each year (migr_resvalid)

Long-term residents by citizenship on 31 December of each year (migr_reslong)

Single permits issued by type of decision, length of validity (migr_ressing)

Long-term residents among all non-EU citizens holding residence permits by citizenship on 31 December (%) (migr_resshare)

Long-term residence permits issued during the year (migr_resltr)

First permits issued for family reunification with a beneficiary of protection status (migr_resfrps1)

Permits valid at the end of the year for family reunification with a beneficiary of protection status (migr_resfrps2)

Residence permits by reason, age, sex and citizenship (migr_resage)

First permits by reason, age, sex and citizenship (migr_resfas)

All valid permits by age, sex and citizenship on 31 December of each year (migr_resvas)

Long-term residents by age, sex and citizenship on 31 December of each year (migr_reslas)

Long-term residence permits issued during the year by age, sex and citizenship (migr_resltra)

Change of immigration status permits by age, sex and citizenship (migr_reschst)

EU blue cards (migr_resbcard)

Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and occupation (migr_resbc11)

Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and size of employer (migr_resbc12)

Persons subject to EU Blue Card decisions by length of validity duration, age, sex, citizenship and economic sector of employer (migr_resbc13)

Persons subject to decisions on residence permits for family reunification with EU Blue Card holders, by duration, age, sex and citizenship (migr_resbc2)

EU Blue Card holders admitted for long-term mobility by length of validity, age, sex, citizenship and previous country of residence (migr_resbc31)

EU Blue Card holders’ family members admitted for long-term mobility by age, sex, citizenship, and previous country of residence (migr_resbc34)

Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and occupation (migr_resbc41)

Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and size of employer (migr_resbc42)

Persons subject to a rejected application for EU Blue Cards by reason, age, sex, citizenship and economic sector of employer (migr_resbc43)

EU Blue Cards granted to beneficiaries of international protection by length of validity, age, sex and citizenship of the holder (migr_resbc5)

EU Blue Cards granted to beneficiary of free movement rights by length of validity, age, sex and citizenship of the holder (migr_resbc6)

Long-term permits granted to former EU Blue Card holders by age, sex, and citizenship (migr_resbc7)

Residence permits for intra-corporate transfer (migr_resictra)

Intra-corporate transferee permits issued, renewed and withdrawn by type of permit, length of validity and citizenship (migr_resict1_1)

Intra-corporate transferee permits issued by type of permit, economic sector and citizenship (migr_resict1_2)

Intra-corporate transferee permits issued by type of permit, length of validity, transferee position and citizenship (migr_resict1_3)

Authorisation for the purpose of the seasonal work (migr_resseaw)

Authorisations for the purpose of seasonal work by status, length of validity, economic sector and citizenship (migr_ressw1_1)

Authorisations issued for the purpose of seasonal work by economic sector, sex and citizenship (migr_ressw2)

Residence permits - Students and Researchers (migr_ressr)

Authorisations for study and research by reason, type of decision, citizenship and length of validity (migr_ressrath)

Authorisations for long-term mobility of researchers by reason, type of decision, citizenship and length of validity (migr_ressrltm)

Thematic section

Managed migration

Publications

Methodology

Residence permits technical guidelines

External links

European Commission, see:
European Commission – DG Migration and Home Affairs, see:
International Labour Organization (ILO) – labour migration
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) – Migration, see:
- International Migration Outlook