Skip to main content

Residence permits to the European Union - how many were issued in 2014?




In 2014 there were slightly less first residence permits to the European Union issued than in 2013. Last year 2.3 million residence permits to the EU were issued to non-EU citizens, down by 2.2% on 2013 figures (Finchannel.com, October 26, 2015). The decline was due to the decline in people seeking ‘employment reasons.’

In 2014 almost a third (29.5%) of first residence permits were issued for family reasons, 24.8% for employment, 25.0% for other reasons, and 20.7% for education reasons.

Half of the permits were issued in the United Kingdom, Poland, and Germany. In the United Kingdom 567,800 residence permits were issued (24.6% of all permits). It was followed by Poland (355,400 or 15.4%), Germany (237,600 or 10.3%), France (218,300 or 9.5%), Italy (204,300 or 8.9%), and Spain (188,600 or 8.2%). These six EU Member States accounted for around 75% of all first residence permits issued in 2014.

Compared with country population figures, the highest rates of first residence permits issued in 2014 were in Malta (23.2 permits per thousand population), Cyprus (16.2), Sweden (11.1), Poland (9.4), and the United Kingdom (8.8).

Poland was significantly the main destination for employment permits (206,200 permits). United Kingdom was the main destination for education permits (177,200 permits). Combined Italy and Spain were the main destinations for family permits (around 100,000 permits), followed by United Kingdom (96,500), Fance (92,100), and Germany (91,700).

Where did they come from? In 2014 most citizens who received EU residence permits were from Ukraine (302,800 or 13.1%) followed by the United States (199,200 or 8.6%), China (169,700 or 7.4%), and India (134,900 or 5.8%). These four countries accounted for almost a third of residence permits issued. Ukrainians benefited most from employment permits (68.2%), and so did Indians (40.5%). Chinese (59.4%) and Brazilians (46.4%) benefited most from education permits. Moroccans (66.6%), Turks (48.6%), and Russians (34.8%) benefited most from family permits.


Of the 302,800 Ukrainians granted permits in the EU more than 80% went to Poland. Of the 199,200 American citizens granted residence permits in the EU almost 70% went to the United Kingdom. Of the 169,700 Chinese citizens granted residence permits in the EU almost 45% also went to the United Kingdom.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...
Post a Comment
Read more

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...
1 comment
Read more

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...
2 comments
Read more