Population growth in Q1 was around the same as last year

Almost 31 thousand extra people came to live in the Netherlands as a result of positive net migration. At the same time, however, the death rate was higher than the birth rate – just as it was last year. As a result of this, the population was reduced by almost 10 thousand inhabitants.

More immigration

Immigration was higher in the first quarter than it was last year. In the first three months of 2025, 79 thousand migrants arrived in the Netherlands, compared to 75 thousand in the same period of 2024. Emigration remained at about the same level, at just under 49 thousand. Net migration was therefore higher in the first quarter of this year (30.6 thousand) than it was last year (27.1 thousand).

More immigration from Syria, Iraq and Eritrea

In the first quarter of 2025, the largest group of new residents had Syria as their country of origin - over 9 thousand (net). That was more than in Q1 2024 (6 thousand) and Q1 2023 (4 thousand). Most Syrian immigrants come to the Netherlands as refugees and apply for asylum. Once asylum seekers have been granted a residence permit or have spent six months in a reception centre for asylum seekers, they register with their local municipality and are counted in the statistics on residents and immigration.

There were also more migrants from other countries where asylum is often the main reason for migrating, such as Iraq, Somalia, Eritrea and Ethiopia. Meanwhile, fewer Ukrainians came to the Netherlands. In the first quarter of 2022, when the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, 24 thousand Ukrainian refugees arrived (net). In the first quarter of 2025 almost 3 thousand Ukrainians arrived (net) - over 6 thousand Ukrainians came to the Netherlands, while just under 4 thousand left. Immigration from Russia has also declined in recent years.

Fewer migrants from EU countries

Migration to the Netherlands from other EU countries also fell once again. In Q1 2025, almost 3 thousand migrants from EU countries arrived (net). In Q1 2024 the figure was 6 thousand, and in Q1 2023 it was 9 thousand. Fewer Poles and Bulgarians came to the Netherlands, in particular.

People whose country of origin is the Netherlands (who were born here and with one or both parents also born here) are more likely to emigrate than they are to return: in Q1 2025, 7 thousand left while 4 thousand returned.

Death rate higher than birth rate

In the first three months of 2025, there were nearly 2 thousand more deaths than in the previous year, and almost a thousand fewer children were born. The mortality rate has been increasing in recent years because elderly people make up a growing share of the population. The birth rate has remained low, and so the gap between the two has widened. There were nearly 10 thousand more deaths in the first three months of 2025 than there were births. In 2024, this difference (known as the natural rate of increase/decrease) was just over 7 thousand.