Overview
- The Netherlands counted 18.12 million residents at the end of September, with year‑to‑date growth of 77,500 lower than a year earlier.
- Migration accounted for all growth: about 243,000 arrivals and 161,000 departures produced a net gain of 81,000, which was 6,000 fewer year on year.
- Natural change was negative, with 125,000 births and 129,000 deaths resulting in a natural decrease of nearly 4,000.
- Net gains skewed toward Asia (+47,000) as arrivals from Syria and Iraq rose for asylum and family reunification, while flows from India and Europe fell.
- EU migration weakened to a net gain of about 10,000, including a small net outflow of Poles (around 500) and fewer Bulgarians and Romanians, while longer‑term data show family migrants are the largest non‑Dutch group and most have paid work (62% for EU family migrants versus 48% for non‑EU).