Recent figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS) reveal that, in the first quarter of 2022, immigration reached record highs, largely as a result of the ongoing war in Ukraine. 

War in Ukraine leads to record levels of immigration

After the coronavirus pandemic brought migration to new lows in 2020 and 2021, the first few months of 2022 have seen the number of people relocating to the Netherlands rise significantly. According to preliminary figures from CBS, 62.500 people migrated to the Netherlands, over 25.000 of which were originally from Ukraine. 

This breaks the record set in 2019, when 61.400 people migrated to the Netherlands within the first three months of the year. CBS notes that this year has seen a marked increase in the number of people moving to the Netherlands from outside of the EU, with nearly three in 10 immigrants coming from Ukraine. 

While immigration continues to grow, the number of people leaving the Netherlands has also risen this year - although the increase was less significant. Between January and March, 35.000 people emigrated, compared to only 32.500 in the same period last year. 

Population of the Netherlands growing at steady rate

This sharp increase in immigration means the population of the Netherlands continues to grow at a steady rate, as the country recorded no natural population growth in the first three months of this year. According to the figures, 43.100 people died between January and March, while only 40.300 births were registered. 

This isn’t unusual, as negative natural growth has been recorded in every first quarter for the past five years. "Relatively few children were born during that period and usually more people die in winter than at other times of the year,” CBS explains. 

Altogether, these figures show that in the first quarter of 2022, the population of the Netherlands grew by a total of 49.800, which CBS notes is “strong growth for a first-quarter” and beats the 2019 record of 23.500.