Growth in Austria too

Industrialized countries record record immigration

(Bild: dpa-Zentralbild/Britta Pedersen)

In 2023, more people than ever before immigrated to the member states of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). This is according to the 2024 Migration Outlook published by the Paris-based organization. 

According to the report, 6.5 million people arrived as migrants in OECD countries. In 2023, 105,400 people migrated to Austria. However, the number of asylum applications in Austria has almost halved compared to 2022.

Every third migration involves family reunification
According to the report, the increase in temporary labor migration and the record numbers of asylum applications, which were mainly registered in the USA, are particularly noteworthy. However, almost a third of migration is still due to family reunification.

Migration is increasing in Germany - but the number of asylum applications is falling sharply.

(Bild: APA/dpa-Zentralbild/arifoto UG)

62% of asylum applications in Germany were accepted
According to the report, Germany also recorded an increase in the number of asylum seekers. Last year, 329,000 asylum applications were submitted, 51% more than in the previous year. Most of the applications came from people from Syria, Turkey and Afghanistan. 62 percent of asylum applications were accepted.

Decline in asylum applications in Austria
In Austria, too, most asylum seekers came from Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey. In contrast to Germany, however, there was a decline in the number of asylum seekers in Austria last year, according to the report. In 2023, 55,630 asylum applications were submitted, compared to 109,800 in 2022, which corresponds to a decrease of 49 percent.

Freedom of movement within the EU accounts for the largest share of immigration in Germany, around half. According to the OECD, there were a total of 15.2 million people living in Germany in 2023 who were born abroad - that is around 18% of the population. In Austria, the proportion of the resident population born abroad amounted to 22% in 2023.

Growth in immigration in Austria
While 669,000 people immigrated to Germany in 2022, most of them from Ukraine, Romania and Poland, 93,300 people immigrated to Austria. In 2023, there was an increase of 13% in Austria compared to the previous year and a total immigration of 105,400 people.

38 countries are members of the OECD, including the industrialized nations of Europe, North America, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.