Net-external migration in Iceland in 2024 was 4,044. This is somewhat fewer than in 2023, when immigration exceeded emigration by 6,789 and less than half as many as the record year 2022 when net migration was 8,660.
The number of immigrants was 19,789 in 2024 which is the third highest number since measurements began, only in the years 2023 (21,560) and 2022 (22,209) was the number higher. At the same time the number of emigrants increased from 14,771 in the year 2023 to a record high number of 15,745 in 2024.
If only foreign citizens are considered, the migration balance was 4,183 in the year 2024 which is a significant decrease from the previous year, when the migration balance of foreign citizens was 7,004. In 2022 the migration balance of foreign citizens was 9,186. The migration balance among Icelandic citizens was negative, but there were 139 more emigrants than immigrants in 2024. The migration balance of Icelandic citizens was also negative in 2023 by 215.
Denmark the most popular country of destination for Icelandic citizens
Of the 5,132 Icelandic citizens who emigrated in 2024, a total of 3,615 migrated to Norway, Denmark or Sweden. Most of them emigrated to Denmark, or 2,037. These countries were also the major countries of origin for immigrating Icelandic citizens as 3,304 out of 4,993 immigrants came from these countries. Most came from Denmark, or 1,603.
Most of the foreign citizens emigrating from Iceland migrated to Poland, or 2,645 out of 10,613. Poland was also the largest contributor of immigrants with foreign citizenship, 3,177 persons out of 14,796 foreign immigrants. The second largest number of foreign citizens emigrated from Ukraine in 2024 (1,230 people).
Over 38% of immigrants and emigrants are in the age group 20–29
The largest age group among those who emigrated or immigrated in 2024 was 20–29 years old, or around 38%. However, the modal age of emigrants was 25 years (738) and the modal age of immigrants was also 25 years, or 936.
Most positive internal migration in the Capital region
When only considering internal migration between regions in the year 2024, the Capital region had the most positive internal migration (932), followed by the South region which had a positive internal migration of 636 and the West with 235 and Northeast (147). The Southwest had the most negative internal migration (-1,848) which is explained largely by migration from Grindavík. Other regions with negative internal migration are Northwest (-45), East (-33) and the Westfjords region (-24). When considering external migration, the Capital region experienced the most positive migration or 2,766, followed by the South region (442). No region experienced negative external net migration in 2024, and only two experienced negative net migration in total, Southwest (-1,509) and the Westfjords (-5).
Methods
Statistics Iceland assesses migration on the basis of information on changes in legal domicile in the National Registry's Population Register and on Statistics Iceland’s assessment of individuals residence, see the report.
Migrations based on National Registry information are counted on the basis of the date of registration in the National Registry, but not based on when the migration took place. However, Statistics Iceland’s assessment date is used when migration is assessed according to Statistics Iceland’s method. This applies from 2011, but before that time only information on changes in legal domicile in the National Register was used.
When the country to which a person moves from Iceland is unknown, information on citizenship is used in the case of individuals with foreign citizenship, but for Icelandic citizens, they are randomly assigned to countries that have recorded migration of other Icelandic citizens.
Statistics
Internal migration
External migration