MigrantoMigration trends in Serbia
Europe
Serbia loses more people than it takes in: 963.3K emigrants against 696.6K immigrants. Net balance −266.7K — 4% of the country's population
6.6M
Population
696.6K
Immigrants
963.3K
Emigrants
−266.7K
Outflow
1 in 9 residents of Serbia was born abroad — and 1 in 8 people born in Serbia lives abroad
#70 in the world by net migration loss
Top corridors
The largest migration flows in Serbia
Key moments
How migration has changed since 1990
1990
1M immigrants · 366.3K emigrants
1995
- Croatia overtook Bosnia as the largest source of new arrivals
- Roughly 1 in 7 residents was now foreign-born
2000
- The foreign-born population peaked at 1.4M and then began to decline
2005
- Immigration contracted — the foreign-born population fell 24%
- The diaspora passed 500K people
2010
- Bosnia overtook Croatia as the largest source of new arrivals
- The gap between arrivals and departures was cut in half
2015
- Germany replaced Austria as the main destination for those leaving
- Surge of departures to Germany — 137.7K people left
2020
- The country became a place of departure — more people leaving than arriving
Today
- Since 1990: 346.8K fewer foreign-born residents and 597K more emigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
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