Estonia´s net migration positive for the third year in a row
17,616 persons took up residence in Estonia and 12,358 persons left Estonia in 2017. Thus, positive net migration reached a record high in 2017, with immigration exceeding emigration by 5,258 persons. Approximately half of the people who came to Estonia were returnees: Estonian citizens, coming back from other countries, mainly Finland.
The most active group of migrants are persons in their 20s and 30s. In net terms, the Estonian population gains primarily younger people: the number of 20-24-year-olds in the population increased by nearly one thousand as a result of migration. The 20-49 age group increased by 3,440 persons as a result of migration.
The biggest group among those who immigrated to Estonia and were not returnees, were citizens of Russia, Ukraine, Finland and Latvia. Based on net migration, the number of citizens of Ukraine and Latvia increased the most (by 744 and 683 persons, respectively).
From other regions, there were 505 persons from Asias, 109 from Africa, 173 from Americas and 112 from Oceania.