A foreigner is a person who does not possess Lithuanian citizenship. This group of people is comprised of EU citizens, non-EU citizens and stateless persons. In 2024, there were approximately 217,000 foreigners residing in Lithuania.
The vast majority are third country nationals: 9% are people who have obtained a permanent residence permits (PRPs), which are issued for five years. 86% are people who have obtained a temporary residence permits (TRPs), which are usually issued for 1-2 years. Citizens of the EU and their families amount to 5%.
Non-EU citizens can enter and stay in Lithuania only for purposes established by the law. The graphic shows all temporary residence permits (TRPs) issued/replaced to non-EU citizens based on admission grounds.
In 2024 most of the permits were issued for employment (47%), other reasons (44%), family reunification (4%) and study (5%).
In 2024, the largest share of foreigners that lived in Lithuania were Ukrainian (35%), Belarusian (26%) and Russian Federation (7%) citizens. The number of migrants from Azerbaijan, Pakistan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan is increasing significantly.
Lithuania also hosts citizens of distant countries like Haiti, Bhutan, Belize, Maldives, etc., but the numbers are very small.
Foreigners (apart from EU nationals) who wish to work in Lithuania must meet certain conditions. Until 2016 foreign workers had to obtain a work permit. Legal changes were implemented in 2017 which facilitated admission conditions for workers who have a profession in demand in Lithuania. These workers do not need to obtain a work permit. Therefore from 2017 information regarding foreign workers is based on decisions to issue a temporary residence permit or national D visa on the ground of employment.
In 2023, the number of migrant workers in Lithuania had increased significantly: during the year 81 thousand temporary residence permits and almost 6 thousand national D visas on the ground of employment were issued. Meanwhile, in 2024, the number of temporary residence permits decreased to 68 thousand, and the number of employment-based national D visas dropped sharply to just 388.
Source: Employment Service. Updated: 2025-09-01
Until 2016 information about professions of foreign workers was based on work permits.
Legal changes were implemented in 2017 which facilitated admission conditions for workers who have a profession in demand in Lithuania. These workers do not need to obtain a work permit. Therefore, information regarding professions of foreign workers is based on decisions to issue a temporary residence permit and/or national D visa on the ground of employment for foreigners who have a profession in demand in Lithuania.
In 2024, majority of foreigners who arrived on the ground of employment had a profession in demand in Lithuania. The highest number of foreign workers were drivers of international freight transport vehicles. However, welding, concrete, plastering and electricity professions increasingly gained popularity in the past year.
In 2024, 110 professions were included into the list of professions in demand approved annually by the Employment Service.
Information on citizenship of foreign workers is only partial.
From 2019, data is presented in percentage values. According to this information, in 2024, 78,306 decisions were made to issue a work-related temporary residence permit for foreigners whose professions were on the shortage occupation list. Majority of foreign workers came from Belarus (29%) and Uzbekistan (20%).