Database on Irregular Migration
Countries
CLANDESTINO
Countries
In the framework of the CLANDESTINO project (2007-2009), country experts reviewed literature and estimations in 12 countries, covering about 83 percent of the population of the European Union (EU27).
For each of these countries, a short summary, a table detailing knowledge about the size of irregular migrant populations and links to more substantial background material are available.
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Vienna Total population (2007): 8 298 923 Foreign nationals (2007): 826 013 Foreign nationals as % of total: 9.9% EU member since: 1995
Irregular migration as a specific policy concern is a relatively recent phenomenon. All available evidence suggests that the irregular resident population has declined considerably over the past several years as a consequence of EU enlargement and a drop in irregular entries and asylum related migration from non-EU countries. Withdrawal and loss of status on other grounds is a main source of irregular migration.
Short Information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Prague Total population (2006): 10 251 079 Foreign nationals (2006): 258 360 Foreign nationals as % of total: 2.5% EU member since: 2004
Over the last few years, the Czech Republic has experienced net immigration of foreign nationals. The country is mainly a destination for temporary legal and irregular labour migrants from post-communist countries (Slovakia, Poland, Ukraine) as well as from Vietnam and China. Irregular migrant activities have recently become important features of the Czech economy and society, an environment that is highly tolerant to undeclared work.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (October 2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Paris Total population (2006): 62 998 773 Foreign nationals (2006): 3 510 000 Foreign nationals as % of total: 5.6% EU founding member: 1957
In France, a substantial part of the population was born outside the country or raised by foreign-born parents. Many of them are French speaking and originate from former colonies in Africa. Irregular migration has attracted public attention frequently in the past decades, for example in connection with ?sans-papiers? seizing churches and the camp Sangatte that hosted irregular transit migrants to the UK. Particularly since 2005, policy responses have been highly restrictive, with increased policing of the borders and the interior.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (November 2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Berlin Total population (2007): 82 314 906 Foreign nationals (2007): 6 744 879 (source: German Federal Statistical Office) Foreign nationals as % of total: 8.2% EU founding member: 1957
Germany has a large share of immigrants, particularly from Turkey, the successor states of Yugoslavia, and Eastern Europe. Regular migration is strictly monitored, and internal controls limit the space for the shadow economy and irregular migrant work. While regularization programmes have never been implemented, authorities officially tolerate those irregular migrants who cannot be deported for practical or humanitarian reasons. Numbers of irregular foreign residents are estimated to have declined to 100 000 to 400 000 persons.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (August 2009)
Estimates
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Athens Total population (2006): 11 125 179 Foreign nationals (2006): 884 000 Foreign nationals as % of total: 7.9% EU member since: 1981
In Greece, restrictive, complicated and lengthy bureaucratic procedures for legal immigration and the prolongation of residence permits indirectly encourage irregular entry and stay. Due to the substantial size of the largely uncontrolled shadow economy, irregular work is easier to find than regular work, even for regular migrants. Policy responses include ? largely ineffective ? border controls and regularization schemes.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (July 2012)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Budapest Total population (2007): 10 066 158 Foreign nationals (2007): 167 873 Foreign nationals as % of total: 1.7% EU member since: 2004
Irregular migration rarely appears on Hungary's political agenda, and even regular migration is not really an issue. Migration and integration policies are largely shaped by EU initiatives. Irregular transit migration is of concern for enforcement authorities, although its relevance has decreased since neighbouring Romania joined the EU. Chinese and Vietnamese persons are probably the most numerous among irregular residents.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (October 2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Rome Total population (2006): 58 751 711 Foreign nationals (2006): 2 670 514 Foreign nationals as % of total: 4.5% EU founding member: 1957
Since the 1980s, Italy has become an immigration country, after almost a century of emigration history. Initially, many immigrants were attracted by the relatively large shadow economy. While the establishment of regular migration regulations has taken time, five amnesties have provided opportunities for the regularization of irregular migrants. More than half of all regular residents currently in Italy obtained their status through one of these amnesties. Successive governments have tried to reduce the number of boat people landing on Italy?s southern shore by increasing coast guard patrols and deportations.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (October 2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Amsterdam Total population (2007): 16 357 992 Foreign nationals (2007): 681 932 Foreign nationals as % of total: 4.1% EU founding member: 1957
In the post-war period, Dutch immigration was characterized by inflows from former colonies in Asia and Latin America, and by labour recruitment, mainly ftrom Turkey and Morocco. In the mid-1980s, the Netherlands adopted relatively open and inclusive integration policies, but recently, political parties have been able to win votes by pointing to dissatisfying results. This has also had consequences for policies regarding irregular migrants, which now emphasize deterrence, exclusion and removal.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (October 2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Warsaw Total population (2007): 38 125 479 Foreign nationals (2007): 54 883 Foreign nationals as % of total: 0.1% EU member since: 2004
During the transformation of the Polish economy, millions of Polish citizens migrated to Western Europe for regular and irregular work, often on a temporary basis. In comparison to other EU countries, Poland is still not considered an attractive destination country for regular and irregular immigrants. Apart from small, settled, irregular resident populations from Vietnam and Armenia, the majority of irregular migrants - mostly temporary irregular workers on regular tourist visas - come from neighbouring Ukraine and Belarus.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (October 2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Bratislava Total population (2007): 5 393 637 Foreign nationals (2007): 32 130 Foreign nationals as % of total: 0.6% EU member since: 2004
Of all European countries, Slovakia has the lowest share of foreign residents among its population. Very little attention is paid to migration issues in Slovakia, and irregular migration is no exception. Policies are largely shaped by Slovakia?s commitments to its accession to the EU and the Schengen zone. Irregular migrants mainly enter the country from Ukraine and leave for Austria. The small irregular resident population is probably predominantly from the neighbouring Ukraine.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (November2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: Madrid Total population (2007): 44 474 631 Foreign nationals (2007): 4 606 474 Foreign nationals as % of total: 10.0% EU member since: 1986
Spain has experienced a fast transition from an emigration to an immigration country since the second half of the 1980s. Today, the size of its foreign-born population is comparable to older immigration countries. Since Spain has repeatedly regularized irregular migrants, irregularity has been a phase in the life of most current regular immigrants in Spain. Border policies have become increasingly restrictive, toward both Latin Americans entering the country legally and boat people from Africa trying to land on the southern shores or the Canary Islands.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)
Estimates
Stocks (November 2009)
© Database on Irregular Migration
Capital: London Total population (2006): 60 393 044 Foreign nationals (2006): 3 425 000 Foreign nationals as % of total: 5.7% EU member since: 1973
For decades, migration flows were largely dominated by immigrants from former colonies in Asia, Africa and the Carribean, which led to large settled minorities. From the late 1990s, immigration became increasingly diverse. Migration became a highly contentious issue on the political and public agenda, concerning both regular and irregular immigrants. While border enforcement was traditionally tough in the UK, internal enforcement only recently shifted from a liberal to a more restrictive approach, involving increased surveillance and police cooperation.
Short information
CLANDESTINO Policy Brief (July 2009)