Record number of Hungarians return to the country from Austria and Germany

According to the Hungarian Central Statistical Office, a growing number of Hungarians are returning home from Austria and Germany. However, these countries continue to attract large numbers of migrants.

Record number of Hungarians return

Pénzcentrum reports that a record number of Hungarians have returned to Hungary from Austria and Germany in 2024, according to the latest data from the Hungarian Central Statistical Office. Nearly 15,700 arrived from Austria, while 6,000 came from Germany, contributing to a total of approximately 28,900 returning citizens. However, emigration to these countries has also surged, with 41,300 nationals leaving in 2024, 15.7% more than in the previous year, marking the highest emigration figure in the past 15 years.

The UK is becoming less popular

The United Kingdom remains the only country where more Hungarians are returning from than moving to, with 1,950 returnees compared to 800 emigrants. Meanwhile, the migration trends in the Netherlands and Switzerland have shifted, as they are no longer among the top emigration destinations. However, Austria and Germany continue to attract more people from Hungary than they lose, reinforcing their status as the primary destinations for emigration.

Migration patterns

Broader migration patterns reveal that the total number of Hungarians emigrating to other countries outside these key destinations began to decline after 2015, with a notable drop of nearly 10% in both 2018 and 2020. Between 2018 and 2021, the balance between emigrants and returnees remained relatively stable, but by 2024, a gap of nearly 3,000 had emerged in favour of emigration, highlighting a renewed outflow of Hungarian citizens.

Austria still has a big Hungarian community

As we have recently reported HERE, Austria’s population growth continues to be driven in part by foreign nationals, including Hungarians, who now number over 112,000 in the country. According to Statistik Austria, the Hungarian community grew by 5,100 individuals in the past year, marking a tenfold increase compared to Austria’s overall population growth rate.

Vienna remains the most popular destination, with nearly 30,000 Hungarians residing in the capital, while Burgenland has the highest proportion of Hungarians relative to its population. With Hungarian citizens now making up just over 1% of Austria’s total population, they form the fifth-largest foreign community. As many seek opportunities in Austria, this trend is expected to continue, reinforcing their presence across the country.

Read also:

• Is life better on the other side of the border? New data on the number of Hungarians in Austria
• Leaving home in hopes of a better life: Here’s how much Hungarians in Austria earn

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