Immigration in France: record number of first residence permits, increase in expulsions in 2023
In 2023, France issued 323,260 first residence permits, a figure up 1.4% compared to 2022, while expulsions increased sharply, the Interior Ministry announced on Thursday January 25.
Migrants board a bus to reach reception centers, during an operation by the local prefecture of Loon-Plage, in northern France, on November 30, 2023 (illustrative image).
AFP - SAMEER AL-DOUMY
By: RFI Follow
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According to the annual report on immigration made public by the Ministry of the Interior, this Thursday, January 25, student residence permits remained almost stable (+1%) at 103,500, making it the first reason for issue, while those issued for family reasons decreased by 5% to 91,000. On the other hand, residence permits issued for economic reasons increased by 5% to reach 54,630.
Regularizations of undocumented people were almost stable (+0.3%) at 34,400. This includes a 5% increase in regularized undocumented workers, to 11,411, while regularization by the work (on a case-by-case basis, under the responsibility of the prefects) is one of the aspects of the immigration law passed in December.
Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia
In total, the Maghreb countries represented a third of the residence permits issued, with in order: Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia.
“
The 2023 immigration figures reflect our political priorities
,” assured the Minister of the Interior, Gérald Darmanin on X (ex-Twitter), welcoming a “
very significant increase in expulsions
”.
These increased by 10% in 2023 to exceed the 17,000 mark, according to the report.
An increase in particular “
linked to the resumption of consular cooperation with Algeria
”, whose nationals are the first to be removed (2,562, +36%), according to the Ministry of the Interior.
In detail, forced removals to third countries increased by 13% to 5,700 people.
Gérald Darmanin also welcomed the “
4,686
foreign offenders returned to their country of origin in 2023 compared to 3,615
in 2022 (i.e. +30%)
”.
France also had more than 62,400 displaced Ukrainians settled in France at the end of 2023, beneficiaries of temporary protection.
And 61,640 people acquired French nationality (-22%) last year, which according to the ministry represents “
the lowest figure since 2018
” and is explained by an “
increase in the level of French proficiency required since 2020
»
Increase in first asylum applications
Finally, the
ministry
reports 145,522 first asylum applications (+6%), an increase "
significantly lower than the European average
" and in particular in Germany which experienced a 51% increase in applications.
Already on Tuesday, the Refugee Protection Office reported an 8.6% increase in asylum applications, to a historic level of 142,500 applications.
These figures were published shortly before a highly anticipated decision by the Constitutional Council on the controversial immigration bill.
(
With AFP
)
Read alsoThe European Union records a jump in irregular entries in 2023
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