Morocco Becomes the EU’s Third-Largest Source of New First Residence Permits in 2025
Moroccan nationals received 202,054 first residence permits in the European Union in 2025, making Morocco the third-largest non-EU citizenship among people receiving a first residence permit that year.
Only Ukraine and India recorded higher numbers. According to the latest Eurostat data, Ukrainian citizens received 335,096 first permits, Indians 227,577, and Moroccans 202,054. Moroccan citizens accounted for 5.2% of all first residence permits issued in the EU in 2025.
The figures were published by Eurostat on 11 September 2026 and cover residence permits issued during 2025. (European Commission)
3.9 Million First Residence Permits Were Issued in 2025
Across the EU, countries issued approximately 3.9 million first residence permits to non-EU citizens in 2025.
That was:
- 📈 10.1% higher than in 2024
- ➕ An increase of approximately 355,350 permits
- 📊 The highest level recorded since Eurostat’s series began in 2008
Employment was the biggest overall reason for issuing first residence permits, accounting for 33.6%, or approximately 1.3 million permits. Family reasons represented 28.1%, education 15.5%, and other reasons, including international protection, 22.8%.
Morocco Ranked Third
The 2025 figures put Morocco firmly among the largest non-EU nationalities receiving new first residence permits.
| Citizenship | First residence permits in 2025 | Share of EU total |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇦 Ukraine | 335,096 | 8.7% |
| 🇮🇳 India | 227,577 | 5.9% |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | 202,054 | 5.2% |
Morocco’s position is particularly notable because its 202,054 permits were issued for a range of migration purposes, rather than being concentrated in just one category.
👨👩👧 Family Reunification Is the Main Reason for Moroccans
For Moroccan citizens, family-related reasons were the largest category, accounting for 47.9% of first residence permits issued to Moroccan nationals in 2025.
This made Moroccans the largest group receiving first residence permits in the EU for family-related reasons. More than half of these Moroccan family-related permits were issued in Spain, which accounted for 51.7% of them.
This is an important part of the story: the 202,054 figure should not be interpreted as 202,054 Moroccan workers moving to Europe.
First residence permits can be issued for several different reasons, including employment, family, education and other categories.
Spain Is the Main Destination for Moroccan Nationals
Spain was the most popular EU destination for Moroccan citizens receiving first residence permits in 2025.
According to Eurostat, 43.8% of all first residence permits issued to Moroccan citizens in the EU were issued by Spain.
The strong connection between Morocco and Spain is not surprising given their geographical proximity and longstanding migration links.
Eurostat specifically identifies geographical proximity, historical and linguistic links, and established migrant networks as factors influencing where non-EU citizens choose to seek residence.
France Is Also Important for Moroccan Migration
France remains another major destination for Moroccan nationals.
Eurostat notes that historical and linguistic connections help explain the concentration of Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian migrants in France.
Together with Spain and other EU countries, these established communities create networks that can make future migration easier for some applicants through family, employment and social connections.
💼 Is Morocco’s Ranking About Jobs?
Not entirely.
Employment was the largest reason for first residence permits across the EU as a whole, but family was the dominant category for Moroccan citizens.
In 2025:
- Family: 47.9% for Moroccan nationals
- 💼 Employment: not the largest category for Moroccans
- 🎓 Education: a smaller component
- 📄 Other reasons: also contributed to the total
Eurostat reported that employment was the principal reason for several other major citizenship groups. For example, employment accounted for 64.5% of Brazilian, 56.6% of Belarusian, 44.6% of Indian and around two-thirds of Ukrainian first residence permits.
Morocco’s Position Has Grown
Morocco’s 2025 total also represents an increase from 2024.
In 2024, 188,420 first residence permits were issued to Moroccan citizens. (European Commission)
In 2025, the figure increased to 202,054.
That is an increase of approximately 13,634 permits, or about 7.2% year over year.
Morocco therefore remained among the EU’s three largest non-EU citizenship groups for first residence permits.
Pakistan Also Entered the Top 10
There is another interesting development for South Asian readers.
Eurostat’s 2025 data shows that Pakistan entered the top 10 non-EU citizenships receiving first residence permits in the EU, replacing Bangladesh and Afghanistan in the ranking.
This makes the latest Eurostat data particularly relevant for people following migration trends from South Asia.
It also shows that European migration is not being driven by one nationality or one reason alone.
⚠️ Important: These Are NOT 2025 Permanent Residents
One important distinction is needed when interpreting these statistics.
A “first residence permit” does not necessarily mean permanent residency or citizenship.
The figures refer to people who received a first residence permit during 2025. The permits can cover different reasons and durations.
Eurostat separately tracks the stock of valid residence permits held at the end of the year.
At the end of 2025, the EU had 27.8 million valid residence permits held by non-EU citizens.
Interestingly, Moroccan citizens held the largest stock of valid residence permits, with approximately 2.2 million, ahead of Turkish citizens at 2.0 million and Ukrainian citizens at 1.7 million. (European Commission)
🌍 What Does This Mean for Morocco and Europe?
The latest numbers demonstrate the strong and continuing migration relationship between Morocco and the European Union.
Moroccan nationals are receiving residence permits through different migration channels, particularly family reunification, while countries such as Spain and France remain major destinations.
At the same time, Europe’s overall demand for foreign workers remains significant.
With 1.3 million employment-related first residence permits issued across the EU in 2025, employment continues to be the single largest reason for new residence permits.
For prospective migrants, however, these statistics do not mean that Europe has opened a general immigration route. Applicants still need to meet the individual country’s requirements for work, study, family reunification or another qualifying residence category.
📊 The Big Picture
The 2025 Eurostat figures tell a clear story:
🇺🇦 Ukraine — 335,096 first permits
🇮🇳 India — 227,577
🇲🇦 Morocco — 202,054
And across the entire EU:
🇪🇺 3.9 million first residence permits
💼 33.6% for employment
👨👩👧 28.1% for family reasons
🎓 15.5% for education
📈 10.1% increase compared with 2024
For Morocco, the headline number is especially significant: 202,054 first residence permits in one year put Moroccan citizens third among all non-EU citizenships in the EU.
