The population of the Netherlands increased by nearly 37,000 in the first six months of 2024, reaching a total of 18,080,000, according to the national statistics agency CBS. This growth aligns with trends observed earlier in the year.

The population increase was entirely due to immigration, as the number of deaths exceeded births during this period. A total of 141,200 people immigrated to the Netherlands, while 95,600 people emigrated.

Immigration from other EU countries has continued its decline, a trend that began three years prior. In the first half of 2023, the EU population in the Netherlands increased by over 23,000, compared to just 7,600 this year. For example, the Polish population size remained the same.

The Indian population growth also slowed, increasing by only 1,000, a significant drop from nearly 5,000 in 2022, when coronavirus travel restrictions were lifted.

Arrival centers in the Netherlands have reflected this decline in arrivals from traditional “expat” countries. Just over 24,400 people used their services last year, compared to almost 33,000 the year before. These centers primarily serve highly skilled migrants and their families, and their numbers don’t represent all new arrivals.

The largest groups of new arrivals in the first half of this year came from Syria (15,500), Ukraine (5,900), and Turkey (4,900).

The right-wing Dutch government, which recently collapsed, had prioritized reducing immigration across the board as a key element of its strategy, though no major measures have been implemented yet.