In front of the immigration office at the Prefecture of the Calvados Department, in Caen, on November 14, 2011. KENZO TRIBOUILLARD/AFP
In 2025, more than 380,000 non-European nationals obtained their first residence permit in France, nearly 40,000 more than in 2024 (an increase of 11%), according to an estimate released on Tuesday, January 27, by the Interior Ministry. The figure provides an annual snapshot of immigration trends, albeit an imperfect one.
The increase reflects a steady rise in migration flows: Since 2011, the number of first permits has doubled. In total, 4.5 million foreigners (excluding those from the European Union) now legally reside in France, led by nationals from North Africa, followed by Turkish, British, Chinese, and Ivorian citizens.
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Among new permit holders, 92,000 people were admitted for humanitarian reasons (asylum, illness, etc.), compared to 56,000 in 2024 – a 65% increase. But the rise coincided with a drop in asylum applications for the second year in a row. The French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons registered 145,200 requests in 2025 – a decrease of 5.5%.
The sharp increase in humanitarian residence permits was largely due to a record-high protection rate: 52% of applicants obtained refugee status or subsidiary protection, the highest proportion since statistics on the subject began in 2010. There was strong demand from Afghans, particularly women, who made up nearly half of Afghan applications, as well as from Ukrainians (91.5% protection rate) and Haitians (94%).
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