Rabat — More than 327,000 immigrants were ordered to exit the European Union in the first nine months of 2024, with a sharp increase in the third quarter, according to Schengen News.
Nearly 112,335 people were asked to leave from July to September.
Algerians were the most ordered nationality to leave the EU in the third quarter of 2024, making up 10 percent of all removal orders. Moroccans and Syrians followed, each representing seven percent.
As per nationalities that returned the most to their home countries, Georgians topped the list, making up 11 percent of all people sent back. Albanians and Turks were next, with seven percent each.
In the second quarter, Algerians and Moroccans again led the figures, each accounting for seven percent of total removal orders, closely followed by Turks and Syrians at six percent each.
France was responsible for a quarter of all orders to leave the EU in the third quarter, issuing 30,800 removal orders. Germany followed with 13,660 orders, while Spain was just behind with 13,645 orders.
These three countries also lead the list of countries where people returned to third countries. France saw 3,655 people sent back, Germany 3,260, and Spain 3,160. Together, they accounted for 36% of all return cases.
Meanwhile, Slovakia, Portugal, Estonia, Slovenia, and Malta issued the fewest orders to leave.
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France has always been the preferred destination for Moroccans, with many having moved there during the 20th century to work in the mining and construction sectors.
Today around 1.5 million Moroccans live in France, making them one of the largest diasporas in the country.
In recent years, the number of Moroccan nationals who have earned French citizenship has also grown. As of 2021 estimates, over 700,000 Moroccans have been naturalized in France.
The strong presence of Moroccans in France is not only a result of historical migration but also due to family reunification policies and the close cultural and political ties between the two countries.
As of now, Moroccans are the second-largest foreign-born group in France, after Algerians.
While the total number of removal orders has remained steady, the number of returns to home countries has also risen significantly.
In the third quarter, 27,740 people were sent back to their countries of origin, up 13 percent compared to the previous quarter, according to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office.
