For many years, most immigrants were returning Lithuanian citizens (about 82% on average). The rest were EU citizens (3%) and non-EU citizens (15%). From 2017, this trend changed. In 2024, the proportion of returning Lithuanians was 37%, while the share of EU citizens reached 2% and the share of non-EU citizens increased to 61%. Most foreign immigrants were citizens from Ukraine and Belarus (about 23% of all immigrants).
In the second graph, 5 EU and non-EU countries are shown from which the majority of immigrants arrived in Lithuania in 2024.
Return migration is defined as the return of Lithuanian citizens who have been living abroad. In 2024, 40% of the returning migrants came back from the United Kingdom. A considerable amount (29%) of people also returned from Norway, Germany, and Ireland.
Annually the Ministry of Foreign Affairs surveys the perceptions of the Lithuanian diaspora.
The survey allows the Ministry to estimate the willingness of Lithuanians living abroad to return to their country of origin and reveals their expectations.
In 2024, 57% of compatriots did not exclude return to Lithuania, while 21% said they did not want to return. 8% also plan to return this year or the following year.
Comparing these indicators with the statistics for the period 2016-2021, there is a decline in return migration.
Between 2016 and 2021, on average 76.9% of respondents said they were thinking about returning to Lithuania. In 2022, this figure dropped to 72.1%. However, in 2023 there was an increase of respondents which were thinking about the return to Lithuania (79%). This figure remained unchanged in 2024.
Lithuanian diaspora identifies these reasons as the main factors encouraging return to Lithuania: family and friends living in Lithuania (58% in 2024), that nowhere else they feel as good as in Lithuania (26% in 2024), and their willingness to work and develop in Lithuania (18% in 2024).
Nevertheless, the high quality of life in Lithuania rarely is cited as a factor for returning to Lithuania. In 2018, 41.6% of respondents identified this reason, while in 2024, the quality of life was only mentioned by 18% of respondents.
Source: Statistics Lithuania. Updated: 2025-09-01