NSI: Turkey, Ukraine and Syria top immigration to Bulgaria

According to detailed demographic data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI), 13,002 Bulgarians emigrated in 2024, with men accounting for 55.1% of them. During the same year, 18,214 people with Bulgarian citizenship, including returnees, moved back to Bulgaria.

Of the emigrants, 7.7% were aged 0–14, 82.7% were aged 15–64, and 9.6% were aged 65 or over. The most popular destinations were Germany (16.9%), the United Kingdom (13.9%), and France (8.9%).

The statistics also cover individuals moving to Bulgaria from abroad, including returning Bulgarians and foreign nationals granted residence permits or status. In 2024, 52,189 people moved to Bulgaria. Of these, 51.5% were citizens of non-EU countries, 34.9% (or 18,214 people) were Bulgarian citizens and 13.6% were EU citizens. Men accounted for 55.9%, while women accounted for 44.1%.

Of the immigrants to Bulgaria, 16.0% were aged 0–14, 72.9% were aged 15–64, and 11.1% were aged 65 or over. The largest groups came from Turkey (21.8%), Ukraine (16.6%), and Syria (10.5%).