Significant Rise in Foreign-Born Population in France for 2024

France is set to see its highest single-year increase in foreign-born residents in 2024, largely coming from Africa, according to national statistics.

A study conducted by national statistician Ince projects an increase of 434,000 foreign-born individuals, bringing the total to 7.7 million. Of this number, 5.1 million are foreigners, while 2.6 million have obtained French nationality after moving to the country.

A major French broadcaster, CNEWS, highlighted that this surge represents the largest annual growth in the foreign-born population to date, equating to the total increase seen over the past three years combined.

Seventy percent of these new residents are African, and they are the demographic most inclined to acquire French citizenship. Ince noted that the nationalities of those residing in France have become more varied, reflecting shifts in their origins over time.

To illustrate, in 1968, nearly three-quarters of foreigners in France came from European countries, whereas in 2024, almost half of foreign nationals are expected to be African, with one-third from Europe.

Currently, the foreign-born population accounts for 8.8 percent of France’s total population. While this figure may appear high, French radio station RFI pointed out that it remains below the European Union average of 9.6 percent and significantly lower than Germany’s rate of 14.5 percent.

However, these numbers still fall short compared to the immigration rates in the UK, which has seen historically high immigration levels. Although 2024 statistics for the UK aren’t available yet, estimates suggest that by mid-2023, around 18% of the population in England and Wales was born abroad.

Notably, the last time the UK had a foreign-born population similar to France’s current figures was back in 2004, according to a report by the Oxford University Migration Observatory.