France immigration: Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia residency data

Recent data from INSEE and the French Ministry of the Interior highlight the scale and dynamics of immigration from North Africa to France. As of 2024, Algeria holds the largest number of residency permit holders with 650,000 individuals. Morocco follows with approximately 617,000, while Tunisia accounts for 304,000.

While Algeria has the highest total stock of residents, the migration patterns vary by country. Morocco sees a higher volume of new entries, with over 35,000 first-time permits issued annually, whereas Algeria typically sees fewer than 30,000 new entries per year. In terms of population proportion, 1.4% of Algerians hold French residency, compared to 1.7% of Moroccans and 2.5% of Tunisians.

Parallel to these statistics, administrative challenges persist within the French immigration system. In Essonne, the Versailles administrative court recently intervened after applicants faced delays of over four years for residency appointments. The court ordered the prefecture to schedule appointments for those seeking exceptional admission to stay within a six-week timeframe, addressing bottlenecks caused by digital filing systems implemented in 2021.