Emigration-immigration statistics
From 1990 until 2018 Lithuania's migration balance was negative, but in recent years a turning point has occurred: the number of immigrants has increased significantly - mostly returning citizens of the Republic of Lithuania, but there are also a lot of labour immigrants from Eastern Europe, so the migration balance (net emigration) in 2018 approached zero, and in 2019 moved to the positive side. According to the preliminary data provided by the State Data Agency, for the third year in a row we are observing a positive migration balance of citizens of the Republic of Lithuania - in 2022, more Lithuanians returned than left.
Immigration.
Returning Lithuanian citizens. The largest share of immigrants to Lithuania (about 50%) is made up of returning Lithuanians. In 2021 the number of returned Lithuanians reached 23.7 thousand. Almost 12 thousand Lithuanians returned from the United Kingdom, over 2.2 thousand. from Norway, 1.8 thousand from Ireland and nearly 1,909 Lithuanian citizens - from Germany. In 2022, 14,352 people decided to return to Lithuania. About 60% of them decided to return to the regions, not the biggest cities.
Arriving foreigners. More than 21 thousand foreigners came to Lithuania. In the summer of 2022, 145 118 foreigners lived in Lithuania. Their share in the total population of Lithuania continues to increase and accounts for 5.1%. Compared to the same period last year, the number of foreigners increased by almost 60%. The majority of foreign immigrants are citizens of Ukraine and Belarus (about 31 per cent of all immigrants). The majority of EU citizens are coming from Latvia, Italy or Germany.
The total immigration rate in 2022 accounted for 33.7 immigrants (16 in 2021).
Emigration.
The largest share of persons leaving Lithuania is the 25-34-year-old group. Statistical data shows that emigration among Lithuanians has been decreasing in recent years. in 2021 18.8 thousand left Lithuania, in 2020 over 15 thousand Lithuanians, 2019 this indicator was significantly higher - over 24 thousand, in 2018 about 29 thousand Lithuanians emigrated from Lithuania.
For several years the main destination for Lithuanian migrants has been the United Kingdom (on average 33 per cent of people who decide to leave choose this country). Other destinations include Norway, Ireland, Germany, etc.
Source: Migration in Numbers
