WorldDataCanvas
🇹🇳

Tunisia

Migration data from UN DESA International Migrant Stock 2024

Immigrant Origins

Countries where immigrants living in Tunisia were born in 2024, ranked by number of people.

Immigrants to Tunisia primarily arrive from neighboring North African nations and former European colonial powers. Shared language, cultural bonds, and geographic proximity currently draw tens of thousands of people from closely tied countries like Algeria, Libya, and Morocco. Deep historical connections also maintain a steady flow of arrivals from France, while economic opportunities increasingly attract migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa.

The origins of these arrivals shifted significantly in response to regional conflicts and economic crises over the last few decades. The outbreak of war and political instability in nearby Libya and Syria drove thousands to seek refuge across the Tunisian border starting in the early 2010s. At the same time, mounting economic pressures steadily increased the number of people arriving from countries like Mali and Cameroon in search of better livelihoods.

Emigrant Destinations

Countries where people born in Tunisia were living in 2024, ranked by number of people.

Tunisians predominantly emigrate to Europe, drawn by deep historical connections and geographic proximity. France remains the overwhelming destination of choice for nearly 450,000 people due to shared language and cultural ties dating back to the colonial era. Neighboring Italy also attracts over 100,000 individuals seeking broader economic and career opportunities just across the Mediterranean.

While traditional European destinations remain popular, shifting global economies recently diversified where Tunisians choose to build their lives. Over the last few decades, Canada emerged as a major draw, growing to host roughly 30,000 skilled professionals seeking new opportunities in a Francophone environment. At the same time, rapid economic development and new career prospects in the Gulf states steadily increased the number of workers moving to countries like the United Arab Emirates.

← Back to Tunisia profile