Migration continues to shape the world in powerful ways. People leave their home countries for a variety of reasons including economic opportunity, safety, family, and education. Understanding where immigrants are settling today can give us a glimpse into how societies are changing and how global trends are shifting. Understanding the countries with the most immigrants helps us see how global mobility is evolving and where newcomers are building their futures.
In 2025, immigration is still a major force, not just in the United States but across the globe. Let's take a closer look at the countries that host the largest immigrant populations and what that tells us about the world today.
The Top 5 Countries with the Most Immigrants
Here are the five countries with the most immigrants living within their borders, based on the latest data from the United Nations International Migrant Stock 2024 update and corroborated by DataPandas.org.
United Kingdom
The UK remains a major immigrant hub despite Brexit. Its historical ties to Commonwealth countries, strong universities, and global economy draw people from around the world. Post-Brexit immigration reforms replaced free movement with a points-based system favoring skilled workers. This has shifted migrant flows but hasn’t reduced overall numbers. There’s also been a notable increase in humanitarian arrivals, including from Ukraine and Hong Kong.
Russia
Russia attracts migrants primarily from neighboring former Soviet states like Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and Tajikistan, due to language familiarity and economic need. While the economy has struggled with sanctions and war-related instability, many migrants still come for work. Immigration laws have become more restrictive, but Russia continues to offer simplified paths to residency for select groups. The war in Ukraine has also led to shifting migrant flows and political asylum requests.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s immigrant population is mostly made up of foreign workers who support its massive infrastructure, service, and oil sectors. Labor migration, particularly from South Asia, drives the numbers. Although the country has tightened sponsorship rules under its Saudization policy, it still depends heavily on migrant labor. Recent changes aim to give more mobility and rights to workers without significantly reducing overall migration inflow.
Germany
Germany has become Europe’s top immigrant destination, largely due to its economic strength, low unemployment, and openness during the 2015 refugee crisis. Recent years have seen a shift from humanitarian migration to more skilled labor recruitment as Germany responds to an aging workforce. Immigration reforms now focus on attracting foreign professionals, particularly in tech and healthcare, while continuing to support asylum seekers and integration efforts.
United States of America
The U.S. remains the top destination for immigrants due to its strong economy, higher education system, and family-based immigration policies. In recent years, legal immigration slowed due to policy changes and pandemic disruptions, but it's recovering. Immigration pathways like humanitarian admissions may continue to slow under President Trump's policies, but family-based and employment-based immigrant visas are still issued at that maximum statuatory levels. The diversity of immigrant origins reflects the country’s global pull. In 2025, legal immigration is rebounding, but Trump-era rule changes and future elections could continue to reshape the system.
These numbers reflect where people are choosing to build new lives. In many cases, these countries are economic powerhouses or provide political and social stability.
A Different Perspective: Immigrants as a Percentage of Population
Looking at total numbers is one way to understand immigration, but it’s also helpful to look at immigrants as a share of a country’s population. This tells us how deeply immigration impacts a country’s demographics:
- United Arab Emirates: 89% of the population are immigrants
- Qatar: 81.3%
- Kuwait: 69.1%
- Bahrain: 54.6%
- Saudi Arabia: 37.4%
These countries have smaller overall populations, but their economies rely heavily on foreign labor. In fact, most of the workforce in these countries is made up of temporary or long-term foreign workers. These may not have the largest totals, but they’re still among the countries with the most immigrants when viewed proportionally.
Regional Highlights: Who’s Moving Where?
Several factors drive global migration to the countries with the most immigrants:
North America
- United States: With over 50 million immigrants, the U.S. continues to be the top destination in the world. Most immigrants arrive through family sponsorship, employment-based opportunities, or humanitarian programs. Immigrants now make up about 15% of the U.S. population.
- Canada: Canada has welcomed about 8 million immigrants, thanks in part to its points-based immigration system. It has one of the most immigrant-friendly policies in the world. Nearly 23% of Canadians are foreign-born.
Europe
- Germany: Europe’s largest economy, Germany has 15.8 million immigrants. The country became a major destination during the 2015 refugee crisis and has continued to attract workers and families.
- United Kingdom: Post-Brexit policies have reshaped migration flows, but the UK still hosts 9.4 million immigrants. Many newcomers arrive from former British colonies, the European Union, and beyond.
- France and Spain: These southern European countries are increasingly popular among immigrants from Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.
Middle East
- Saudi Arabia and UAE: These Gulf nations are two of the world’s top destinations for migrant workers, particularly from South and Southeast Asia. Immigrants work in sectors like construction, domestic service, and technology.
- Qatar and Kuwait: Similar to the UAE, these smaller Gulf states have very high percentages of immigrant populations, mostly for labor-related purposes.
Asia-Pacific
- Australia: Australia's immigrant population has grown to 7.7 million, thanks to a strong economy and an immigration system that prioritizes skilled labor. More than 30% of Australians are foreign-born.
- India: While India isn’t in the top 10 destinations, it's the world’s largest source of emigrants. More than 35 million people of Indian origin live abroad.
What Drives Immigration in 2025?
Several factors help explain why people are moving and where they’re going:
Economic Opportunity
Countries like the U.S., Germany, and Canada offer jobs and higher wages. That’s why they’re so attractive to skilled and unskilled workers alike.
Family Reunification
Family ties remain one of the strongest reasons people move. U.S. immigration law, for example, prioritizes family-based immigration.
Education and Lifestyle
Many immigrants—especially younger ones—move to access education or a higher quality of life. This is particularly common in countries like Australia, Canada, and the UK.
Safety and Stability
People escaping conflict, poverty, or environmental disasters often seek asylum or refuge. Europe and North America continue to be major destinations for humanitarian migrants.
Why This Matters for the U.S.
Understanding global immigration helps us put the U.S. system in context. While the U.S. leads the world in immigrant numbers, many Americans don’t realize just how much other countries are also reshaping their populations through migration. No longer is America the only destination for ambitious, talented people. Other countries with the most immigrants are adopting smart immigration policies, attracting global talent, and building stronger economies.
The United States benefits greatly from immigration through economic growth, entrepreneurship, and cultural diversity. But the process can be confusing and slow.
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