In 2023, Austria experienced a significant rise in its foreign population, with Statistics Austria reporting that one in four residents had a migration background.
As of January 1, 2024, Germans were the most prevalent foreign nationality in Austria, with a population exceeding 1.8 million. Consequently, Germans represent the largest foreign group in the Austrian labor market, making up nearly 13 percent of the total workforce. According to the Austrian Social Insurance, 127,938 Germans were employed in Austria as of February 2024.
Following the Germans, the most common foreign nationalities in Austria were Romanians (153,400), Turks (122,200), and Serbians (114,289). Since 2015, the foreign nationalities that have seen the greatest increase are Syrians (+83,900), Romanians (+80,100), Ukrainians (+72,100), Germans (+62,300), and Hungarians (+52,300).
Without immigration, Austria's population in 2080 would revert to the levels recorded in 1950. A recent survey by Statistics Austria revealed that most immigrants feel a positive connection to Austria, with over 72 percent expressing a sense of belonging to the country.
In particular, individuals born in Syria, Iran, and Bosnia and Herzegovina demonstrated a strong bond with Austria.