Top 10 Countries by Relative Growth in Foreign-Born Population Share (1995–2024)
Another table today :)
Thought it would be interesting to take a look back at the percentage of the population across key countries that is foreign-born and how that share has grown over the past ~30 years. I compared the statistical annexes from the 2006 IOM Report (with data back to 1995 for some countries) and the 2025 IOM Report (data back to 2014 for some countries).
Here are the top 10 countries sorted by relative growth (multipliers), with Colombia as the obvious outlier. Someone more in the know can say whether that pop is due to actual net migration, changes in data collection or definitions, or a combination of factors.
| Country | *% population foreign-born (earliest year) | *% of population foreign-born (latest year) | Multiplier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colombia | 0.3 (2015) | 5.8 (2024) | 19.3x |
| Finland | 2.0 (1995) | 9.5 (2024) | 4.8x |
| Italy | 2.5 (2001) | 11.2 (2024) | 4.48x |
| Chile | 2.5 (2014) | 9.7 (2024) | 3.88x |
| Spain | 5.3 (2002) | 18.4 (2024) | 3.47x |
| Ireland | 6.9 (2000) | 23.3 (2024) | 3.38x |
| Norway | 5.5 (1995) | 18.2 (2024) | 3.31x |
| Denmark | 4.8 (1995) | 12.2 (2024) | 2.54x |
| Hungary | 2.8 (1995) | 7.0 (2024) | 2.50x |
| Mexico | 0.4 (2000) | 1.0 (2020) | 2.50x |
*Data pulled from statistical annexes from IOM's 2006 report and 2025 report.
Honorable Mention: Highest Objective Share
Luxembourg remains the OECD country with the highest foreign-born stock as a percentage of its total population in both reports.
| Country | Foreign-born stock as % in 1995 | Foreign-born stock as % in 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Luxembourg | 30.9% | 51.3% |