Migration to Georgia: What the Official Data Shows (2012–2024)
Official figures show two opposite trends: Georgian citizens have left in net terms for most of the past decade, while foreign citizens have consistently moved in. Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine drove a sharp surge of arrivals from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus that eased through 2023–2024.
Last reviewed: 31 August 2026 · Last checked: 12 November 2026
Georgia’s migration story over the past decade is really two stories running in opposite directions. Official data — compiled by the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat) from Border Police records, and analysed in detail by the ISET Policy Institute — shows Georgian citizens leaving in net terms for most years, while foreign citizens have consistently moved in. For anyone considering a move to Georgia, the second trend is the relevant one, and it has been shaped heavily by recent regional events.
Two opposite trends
Between 2012 and 2024, emigration of Georgian citizens generally outpaced their immigration, producing sustained net emigration. The only clear exceptions were 2020, when the pandemic kept people home, and a mild positive balance of 842 in 2024. Foreign citizens show the mirror image: net immigration has been positive throughout the period, apart from a brief dip in 2020.
The 2022 surge
The single biggest shift came in 2022, when Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine sent foreign arrivals sharply higher. Foreign immigration exceeded 125,000 that year, driven by people from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine — many fleeing conflict or mobilisation. The combined share of those three countries in total foreign immigration jumped from 32% in 2012–2021 to 62% in 2022–2024. The inflow then declined gradually through 2023 and 2024.
Where Georgia’s foreign arrivals come from
Looking at net immigration (arrivals minus departures) over 2015–2024, the largest contributors were:
- Russian Federation: +97,090
- Ukraine: +27,152
- Azerbaijan: +14,251
- Türkiye: +14,235
- Belarus: +13,536
- India: +13,324
- Iran: +8,449
- Kazakhstan: +4,400
- United States: +3,396
By sheer volume of arrivals over the same period, Russia (209,230), Ukraine (50,666) and Türkiye (46,195) lead, followed by Azerbaijan, India and Armenia.
Who arrives — and why
Foreign immigration is concentrated in the 20–39 age group, which made up around half of net foreign immigration in 2014–2022 — a profile typical of labour and study migration. Some nationalities stand out: among Indian arrivals, 42% were aged 15–19 and 36% aged 20–24, reflecting the large number of Indian students enrolled in Georgian universities. Arrivals from the United States show a bump in the 0–4 age group, consistent with Georgian families returning home with young children.
2024: a more balanced year
The most recent data points to normalisation. Net immigration of foreign citizens fell to roughly 13,000 in 2024 as arrivals slowed and some earlier arrivals left. Among Georgian citizens, the extreme outflows of 2021–2023 gave way to a small net inflow, and migration once again concentrated in the 20–39 working-age band rather than the unusual 2023 pattern.
The other side: Georgians in Europe
While foreigners move into Georgia, many Georgians continue to build lives in Europe through increasingly formal channels. Asylum applications by Georgian citizens to the EU peaked at 28,460 in 2022 before falling to 14,785 in 2024, with France and Germany the main destinations. At the same time, residence permits held by Georgians across the EU and other European countries rose to more than 150,000 in 2023, dominated by long-term permits issued for employment and family reasons — a sign of structured labour migration rather than short stays.
A note on the data
These figures come from Geostat’s international migration statistics, based on Border Police records and an internationally standardised methodology. The ISET analysis flags one striking anomaly — an unexplained 2023 spike in the net emigration of children aged 0–19, accounting for 89% of that year’s total net emigration — which has no clear cause in school, asylum or residence-permit data. It is a useful reminder to read single-year movements cautiously and to focus on the multi-year trends, which are clearer: foreigners have been arriving steadily, with a war-driven peak in 2022 that is now settling back toward longer-term norms.
Frequently asked questions
Is immigration to Georgia rising?
Foreign citizens have shown consistently positive net immigration for most of the past decade. Arrivals spiked sharply in 2022 with Russia's invasion of Ukraine and then eased — net immigration of foreign citizens was about 13,000 in 2024.
Where do most foreign arrivals come from?
By net immigration over 2015–2024, the largest inflows came from Russia (+97,090), Ukraine (+27,152), Azerbaijan (+14,251), Türkiye (+14,235), Belarus (+13,536) and India (+13,324).
Did the war in Ukraine change migration to Georgia?
Yes. Foreign immigration exceeded 125,000 in 2022, and the combined share of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus in foreign immigration rose from 32% in 2012–2021 to 62% in 2022–2024.
Are more people leaving Georgia than arriving?
Among Georgian citizens, emigration exceeded immigration in most years (net emigration), with exceptions in 2020 and a small positive balance of 842 in 2024. Foreign citizens, by contrast, have been consistently net-positive.
How reliable are these numbers?
They are based on Geostat data drawn from Border Police records using an international methodology. Analysts note some unexplained anomalies — notably a 2023 spike in child emigration — so individual yearly patterns should be read with care.