# Foreign born

Foreign-born (also non-native) people are those born outside of their country of residence. Foreign born are often non-citizens, but many are naturalized citizens of the country in which they live, and others are citizens by descent, typically through a parent.
The term foreign born encompasses both immigrants and expatriates but is not synonymous with either. Foreign born may, like immigrants, have committed to living in a country permanently or, like expatriates, live abroad for a significant period with the plan to return to their birth-country eventually.
The status of foreign born — particularly their access to citizenship — differs globally. The large groups of foreign-born guest workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, for example, have no right to citizenship no matter the length of their residence. In Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, by contrast, foreign born are often citizens or in the process of becoming citizens. Certain countries have intermediary rules: in Germany and Japan it is often difficult but not impossible for the foreign born to become citizens.

## Definition

The adjective foreign-born has two potential meanings:
* "born in a country other than that in which one resides."
* "foreign by birth."
The United Nations uses the first definition to estimate the international migrant stock, whenever this information is available. In countries lacking data on place of birth, the UN uses the country of citizenship instead.
On the other hand, the United States Census Bureau defines foreign-born as "anyone who is not a U.S. citizen at birth", which includes persons who have become U.S. citizens through naturalization but excludes persons born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent or parents.
According to the UN: "Equating international migrants with foreign citizens when estimating the migrant stock has important shortcomings. In countries where citizenship is conferred on the basis of jus sanguinis, people who were born in the country of residence may be included in the number of international migrants even though they may have never lived abroad. Conversely, persons who were born abroad and who naturalized in their country of residence are excluded from the stock of international migrants when using citizenship as the criterion to define international migrants."

## Trends by country

The percentage of foreign born in a country is the product mostly of immigration rates, but is also affected by emigration rates and birth and death rates in the destination country. For example, the United Kingdom and Ireland are destination countries for migrants from Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia, but are themselves source countries for immigration to other English-speaking countries.
The Holy See is unique in having 100% of its population foreign-born, while Cuba is unique in having 0% of its population foreign-born. The region with the highest rate is Oceania, with 21%, while Asia has less than 1%.
Countries with immigration rates above 25% tend to be wealthy countries with relatively open migration or labour laws, including Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland and the Persian Gulf states.
The largest foreign-born population in the world is in the United States, which was home to 39 million foreign-born residents in 2012, or 12.6% of the population.

## Countries with the largest foreign-born populations

| Rank | Country | Region | Percentage of Foreign-born Population | Largest Foreign-born Group |
| 1 | United Arab Emirates | Greater Middle East | 88.52% | Indian |
| 2 | Qatar | Greater Middle East | 81.3% | Indian |
| 3 | Kuwait | Greater Middle East | 69.1% | Indian |
| 4 | Bahrain | Greater Middle East | 54.6% | Indian |
| 5 | Saudi Arabia | Greater Middle East | 37.37% | Indian |
| 6 | Lebanon | Greater Middle East | 23% | Syrian |
| 7 | Canada | North America | 23% | Indian |
| 8 | Sweden | Northern Europe | 19.6% | Syrian |
| 9 | Germany | Western Europe | 18% | Turk |
| 10 | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | 14% | Indian |
| 11 | United States | North America | 13.9% | Mexican |
| 12 | Pakistan | Greater Middle East | 13.2% | Indian |
| 13 | Turkey | Greater Middle East | 7.18% | Syrian |
| 14 | Brazil | South America | 1.00% | Venezuelan |
| 15 | India | South Asia | 0.4% | Bangladeshi |
Direct figures on Pakistan's total foreign-born population are unavailable. However, estimates for specific immigrant communities can be found, which are as follows: 8.4% - 10% Indians (i.e., Muhajirs from India and their descendants), 1.6% - 2% Afghans, 1% Bengalis, 0.1 - 0.2% Burmese

## Countries with largest refugee populations

| Rank | Country | Region | Refugees Hosted |
| 1 | Iran | Greater Middle East | 3.8 million |
| 2 | United States | North America | 3.6 million |
| 3 | Turkey | Greater Middle East | 3.1 million |
| 4 | Pakistan | Greater Middle East | 3.1 million |
| 5 | Colombia | South America | 2.8 million |
| 6 | Germany | Western Europe | 2.7 million |
| 7 | Uganda | East Africa | 1.7 million |
| 8 | Lebanon | Greater Middle East | 1.5 million |

## Cities with largest foreign born populations

| Rank | City | Country | Region | Estimate date and source (where available) | Foreign-born population | Percentage | Country of origin of the largest foreign-born group |
| 1 | London | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | ONS 2021 | 3,576,000 | 40.6% | India |
| 2 | Dubai | United Arab Emirates | Greater Middle East | Government of Dubai 2021 | 3,200,000 | 91.4% | India |
| 3 | New York | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 3,133,149 | 36.3% | Dominican Republic |
| 4 | Sydney | Australia | Oceania | 2021 Australian Census | 2,260,410 | 43.2% | China |
| 5 | Abu Dhabi | United Arab Emirates | Greater Middle East | 2014 | 2,173,000 | 80% | India |
| 6 | Kuwait City | Kuwait | Greater Middle East | 2018 | 2,088,000 | 69.6% | India |
| 7 | Melbourne | Australia | Oceania | 2021 Australian Census | 1,970,614 | 40.1% | India |
| 8 | Doha | Qatar | Greater Middle East | 2021 | 1,768,000 | 88.4% | India |
| 9 | Lima | Peru | South America | 2023 United Nations Office of Peru | 1,586,880 | 17.5% | |
| 10 | Toronto | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 1,431,380 | 51.9% | India |
| 12 | Los Angeles | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 1,395,920 | 36.0% | Mexico |
| 13 | Brisbane | Australia | Oceania | 2021 Australian Census | 799,645 | 31.7% | India |
| 14 | Montréal | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 790,960 | 40.9% | France |
| 15 | Berlin | Germany | Western Europe | Berlin-Brandenburg office of statistics, 2021 | 789,076 | 21% | Turkey |
| 16 | Vienna | Austria | Western Europe | City of Vienna 2023 | 778,454 | 31.3% | Serbia |
| 17 | Madrid | Spain | Southern Europe | 2019 Spain Census | 726,669 | 22.2% | Morocco |
| 18 | Auckland | New Zealand | Oceania | Statistics New Zealand 2018 | 714,480 | 41.6% | India |
| 19 | Houston | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 664,495 | 28.9% | Mexico |
| 20 | Peshawar | Pakistan | Greater Middle East | 2005 | 611,501 | 19.7 | Afghanistan |
| 20 | Chicago | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 550,888 | 20.2% | Mexico |
| 21 | Calgary | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 457,665 | 35.4% | Philippines |
| 22 | San Jose | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 410,543 | 41.0% | Mexico |
| 23 | Mississauga | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 406,455 | 57% | India |
| 24 | Brampton | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 383,695 | 59.1% | India |
| 25 | São Paulo | Brazil | South America | 2019 | 362,340 | 3% | Venezuela |
| 26 | Bogotá | Colombia | South America | 2019 | 352,431 | 5% | Venezuela |
| 27 | San Diego | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 344,419 | 24.9% | Mexico |
| 28 | Edmonton | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 348,295 | 34.9% | India |
| 29 | Hamburg | Germany | Western Europe | 2021 ACS | 341,759 | 24.7% | Turkey |
| 30 | Milan | Italy | Southern Europe | Istat 2011 | 324,378 | 10.7% | Egypt |
| 31 | Vancouver | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 317,190 | 48.8% | China |
| 32 | Birmingham | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | ONS 2021 | 305,963 | 25.6% | Pakistan |
| 33 | Ottawa | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 288,835 | 28.9% | China |
| 34 | San Francisco | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 288,169 | 33.9% | China |
| 35 | Surrey | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 285,620 | 50.8% | India |
| 36 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Western Europe | Statistics Netherlands 2019 | 277,431 | 32.1% | Turkey |
| 37 | Miami | United States | North America | 2022 ACS | 256,805 | 57.9% | Cuba |
| 38 | Stockholm | Sweden | Northern Europe | Statistics Sweden 2019 | 248,708 | 25.5% | Syria |
| 39 | Lyon | France | Western Europe | France Unité urbaine de Lyon, INSEE 2020 | 235,969 | 14% | Algeria |
| 40 | Winnipeg | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 231,135 | 31.4% | India |
| 41 | Santiago | Chile | South America | 2017 Census | 212,037 | 10.2% | Venezuela |
| 42 | Marseille | France | Western Europe | Unité urbaine de Marseille-Aix, INSEE 2020 | 193,740 | 12% | Algeria |
| 43 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | Western Europe | Statistics Netherlands 2019 | 184,218 | 28.6% | Turkey |
| 44 | The Hague | Netherlands | Western Europe | Statistics Netherlands 2019 | 176,183 | 32.8% | Indonesia |
| 45 | Manchester | United Kingdom | Northern Europe | ONS 2021 | 173,208 | 31.4% | Pakistan |
| 46 | Oslo | Norway | Northern Europe | Statistics Norway 2019 | 171,868 | 25.2% | Pakistan |
| 47 | Gothenburg | Sweden | Northern Europe | Statistics Sweden 2019 | 159,342 | 27.5% | Iraq |
| 48 | Hamilton | Canada | North America | Canada 2021 Census | 158,190 | 28.2% | Italy |
| 49 | Copenhagen | Denmark | Northern Europe | Statistics Denmark 2022 | 134,409 | 26.3% | Turkey |
| 50 | Malmö | Sweden | Northern Europe | Statistics Sweden 2019 | 118,323 | 34.4% | Iraq |
| 51 | Helsinki | Finland | Northern Europe | Statistics Finland 2021 | 102,016 | 15.5% | Russia |

## Metropolitan and urban regions with the largest foreign-born populations

* Data for the cities listed below is from numerous sources.
| Rank | Metropolitan region / urban area | Country | Foreign-born population | Sources of immigrants |
| 1 | New York metropolitan area | United States | 5,892,000 | China, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Ecuador, Guyana, Philippines, South Korea, Mexico, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Italy, Colombia, Poland, Russia, India, Pakistan, Brazil, Cuba, Nigeria, Ghana, Greece |
| 2 | London and the home counties | United Kingdom | 5,623,701 | India, Poland, Bangladesh, Romania, Pakistan, Italy, Turkey, Nigeria, Ireland, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, China, France, Ghana, Philippines, Portugal, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, USA, Greece |
| 3 | Los Angeles Metropolitan Area | United States | 5,541,000 | Mexico, the Philippines, El Salvador, China, Vietnam, South Korea, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Armenia, Iran, India, Nigeria, Colombia |
| 4 | Toronto Greater Golden Horseshoe | Canada | 3,507,895 | India, China, Philippines, Pakistan, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka, Jamaica, Italy, Iran, United Kingdom, Guyana, Portugal, Vietnam, Poland, South Korea, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Iraq, Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, Egypt, Nigeria, Greece, Romania |
| 5 | Paris metropolitan area | France | 3,041,148 | Algeria, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, Spain, Romania, Turkey, China, Italy, Mali, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Cameroon |
| 6 | Hong Kong (SAR) | China | 2,793,450 | China, Indonesia, Philippines, Macau, Thailand, United Kingdom, France, India, Pakistan, Japan, United States, Canada |
| 7 | San Francisco Bay Area | United States | 2,634,270 | Mexico, China, Philippines, Vietnam, India, El Salvador, Guatemala, South Korea, Taiwan, Iran, Russia, Japan, Nicaragua |
| 8 | Sydney Greater Capital City Statistical Area | Australia | 2,071,872 | China, United Kingdom, India, New Zealand, Vietnam, Philippines, South Korea, Lebanon, Sri Lanka |
| 9 | Miami metropolitan area | United States | 1,949,629 | Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Canada, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Brazil, Panama, Peru, Argentina |
| 10 | Melbourne Greater Capital City Statistical Area | Australia | 1,801,139 | India, China, Vietnam, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Italy, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Greece, Philippines, South Africa, Hong Kong |
| 11 | Chicago metropolitan area | United States | 1,625,649 | Mexico, India, Poland, Philippines, China, Palestine, Ukraine, Italy, Guatemala, Lithuania, Ghana, Nigeria, Jamaica, Cuba, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago |
| 12 | Brussels Urban Area | Belgium | 1,441,600 | France, Romania, Morocco, Italy, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Bulgaria, Germany |
| 13 | Berlin Urban Area | Germany | 1,231,500 | Turkey, Russia, Poland, Syria, Italy, Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, France, Vietnam, United Kingdom |
| 14 | Singapore (city only) | Singapore | 1,305,011 | Malaysia, China, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Bangladesh, Taiwan, Myanmar, South Korea |
| 15 | Montreal Urban Area | Canada | 1,184,620 | Algeria, Morocco, Romania, France, Haiti, Lebanon, Philippines, Vietnam, Italy, China |
| 16 | Vancouver Lower Mainland | Canada | 1,155,210 | Hong Kong, China, India, South Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan, Iran, Pakistan, Poland, United Kingdom, Italy, United States |
| 17 | Moscow (city only) | Russia | 1,128,035 | Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Belarus |
| 18 | Houston metropolitan area | United States | 1,113,875 | Mexico, El Salvador, Vietnam, India, Nigeria, China, Honduras, Philippines, Myanmar, Guatemala, Colombia |
| 19 | Metropolitan Dubai | United Arab Emirates | 1,056,000 | India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Iran, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom |
| 20 | Riyadh (city only) | Saudi Arabia | 1,054,000 | Arab League, Pakistan, India, African Union, Bangladesh, Iran |
| 21 | Washington metropolitan area | United States | 1,017,432 | El Salvador, China, Ethiopia, Mexico, South Korea, Nigeria, Philippines, Vietnam, Ghana, Bolivia |
| 22 | Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex | United States | 1,016,221 | Mexico, India, Vietnam, El Salvador, China, South Korea, Honduras, Philippines |
| 23 | Frankfurt Urban Area | Germany | 998,400 | Turkey, Italy, Croatia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Russia, North Macedonia |
| 24 | Santiago Metropolitan Region | Chile | 938,904 | Venezuela, Peru, Colombia, Haiti, Argentina |
| 24 | Tokyo Urban Area | Japan | 978,172 | China, South Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, United States, Brazil, Nepal, Taiwan, Peru, Thailand |
| 24 | Birmingham Urban Area | United Kingdom | 902,438 | India, Pakistan, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Poland, Bangladesh, Romania, China, Italy, Albania, Nigeria, Somalia |
| 25 | Barcelona Urban Area | Spain | 862,200 | Italy, Pakistan, China, Ecuador, Bolivia, Morocco, France |
| 26 | Atlanta metropolitan area | United States | 861,208 | Mexico, India, Jamaica, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Nigeria, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia |
| 27 | Brisbane Greater Capital City Statistical Area | Australia | 731,198 | New Zealand, England, China, India, South Africa, Philippines, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Scotland, Malaysia |
| 28 | Auckland Urban Area | New Zealand | 662,298 | United Kingdom, China, India, Fiji, Samoa, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka |
| 29 | Stockholm County | Sweden | 660,302 | Finland, Iraq, Poland, Syria, Iran, Turkey, Eritrea, Afghanistan |
| 30 | Muscat | Oman | 571,000 | Philippines, Pakistan, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh |
| 31 | Amsterdam metropolitan area | Netherlands | 554,530 | Morocco, Turkey, Suriname, Poland, Ukraine, Syria, Afghanistan, Germany, India |
| 32 | Milan Urban Area | Italy | 475,000 | Egypt, Philippines, China, Romania, Sri Lanka |
| 33 | Greater Calgary | Canada | 460,790 | India, Pakistan, Philippines, United States, Nigeria, China, Lebanon, Vietnam, United Kingdom, South Korea, Iran, Hong Kong, Ethiopia, Germany, European Union |
| 34 | Greater Edmonton | Canada | 363,825 | China, Pakistan, India, Somalia, Hong Kong, Philippines, Lebanon |
| 35 | Hamburg Metropolitan Region | Germany | 332,473 | Turkey, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Italy, Spain, Ghana |
| 36 | Greater Manchester | United Kingdom | 302,000 | Pakistan, China, Ireland, Bangladesh, Poland, Nigeria, India, Somalia, Jamaica, Iraq |
| 37 | Ottawa | Canada | 266,910 | Italy, Pakistan, India |
| 38 | Helsinki | Finland | 213,290 | Russia, Estonia, Somalia, Iraq, Sweden, China, Yugoslavia, Vietnam, India, Turkey |
| 39 | Winnipeg | Canada | 207,915 | China, United Kingdom, Lebanon, United States, India, Philippines, Vietnam, Pakistan, Syria, Haiti, Iran, Somalia, Egypt, Italy, Iraq, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Germany, Jamaica, Russia, Hong Kong |
| 40 | Hannover–Braunschweig–Göttingen–Wolfsburg Metropolitan Region | Germany | 132,684 | Turkey, Serbia, Ukraine, Greece, Russia, Italy, Spain |
| 41 | Geneva | Switzerland | 77,602 | France, Spain, Germany |