In 2018, 13% of immigrants in France were born in Algeria; 11.9% in Morocco; 9.2% in Portugal; 4.4% in Tunisia; 4.3% in Italy; 3.8% in Turkey; and 3.7% in Spain. Half of France's immigrants (50.3%) come from these seven countries.
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.
Migration to France is primarily motivated by family reunification and largely disconnected from the economic situation. In recent years, the overall number of migrants who arrive in France could be considered relatively low in comparison with other European countries, given the country's total population.
Between 1848 and 1939, 1 million people with French passports emigrated to other countries. In the Western Hemisphere, the main communities of French ancestry are found in the United States, Canada and Argentina. Sizeable groups are also found in Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay and Australia.
The Italians came in greatest numbers (35 percent), followed by the Poles (20 percent), the Spanish (15 percent), the Belgians (10 percent), and a smaller number of people from central or eastern European countries.
The French people (French: Français) are an ethnic group and nation primarily located in Western Europe that share a common French culture, history, and language, identified with the country of France.
As of December 31, 2020, there were 455,295 refugees and persons under other forms of international protection in France, according to the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA). The main countries of origin are Afghanistan, Syria, Sri Lanka, Russia and DRC.
Mexico is the top origin country of the U.S. immigrant population. In 2018, roughly 11.2 million immigrants living in the U.S. were from there, accounting for 25% of all U.S. immigrants. The next largest origin groups were those from China (6%), India (6%), the Philippines (4%) and El Salvador (3%).
More than 6.5 million immigrants resided in France as of 2018, the most recent year for which definitive census data are available, accounting for about 10 percent of the total population. Of these immigrants, 37 percent were naturalized citizens.
France has nonetheless continued to receive legal immigrants, with approximately 100,000 new entries per year.
Most Americans who want to move to France will require a work visa. If you are employed, your work contract will need to be approved by the French Labor Ministry and the French Office of Immigration and Integration.
In 2020, it appears that the majority of French expatriates were living within the European Union. The second most popular geographical area for French people living abroad was Northern America with almost 278,000 French nationals settled there.
As of December 31, 2020, there were 455,295 refugees and persons under other forms of international protection in France, according to the French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA). The main countries of origin are Afghanistan, Syria, Sri Lanka, Russia and DRC.
African Americans have migrated to France since the 19th century, often to escape the prevalent racism in the United States. The emergence of WWI and the subsequent rise of jazz in France laid the foundations for bustling African American community, and opened doors for black performers, writers, and artists.
People of Algerian origin account for a large sector of the total population in France. Some immigrated during colonial rule in Algeria starting in the 1920s, and large numbers chose to emigrate to France from the 1960s onwards due to political turmoil in Algeria.
The current net migration rate for France in 2022 is 0.883 per 1000 population, a 9.96% increase from 2021. The net migration rate for France in 2021 was 0.803 per 1000 population, a 11.07% increase from 2020. The net migration rate for France in 2020 was 0.723 per 1000 population, a 12.44% increase from 2019.