Over 96,000 citizens from non-EU countries were ordered to leave an EU country in the second quarter of 2024, while 25,285 people returned after receiving the removal order.

Compared to the first quarter of 2024, the number of removal orders decreased by 7%, while the number of returns to third countries decreased by 3.9%.

Compared to the same period in 2023, the number of citizens from non-EU countries ordered to leave fell by 10%, while the number of returnees increased by 21.3%.

According to data published by Eurostat, Algerian and Moroccan citizens made up the largest share of citizens ordered to leave a European Union country, each with 7% of the total. They were followed by Turkish and Syrian citizens, each with 6%.

Among the citizens who returned, the majority were Georgian citizens (10%), followed by Albanians (8%) and Turks (7%).

From national data, France topped the list with the highest number of citizens ordered to leave, with 31,195 cases, followed by Germany with 12,885 and Greece with 6,555.