It is worth noting that 219 thousand can be referred to natural causes (births/deaths), but the vast majority (679 thousand) is due to emigration. Even though in and of itself emigration is not a negative phenomenon, the immense emigration and relatively low immigration rates present an array of challenges in Lithuania: the demographic structure is changing (i.e. the population is ageing), the country is starting to lack workforce, in addition, the departure of highly qualified professionals hinders development. However, in the last couple of years, the opposite trend is emerging - more people are immigrating to Lithuania than emigrating from it. 

Despite often being associated with the arrival of foreigners, immigration includes all people – both returning Lithuanians and foreigners – who intend to reside in Lithuania for more than one year. Statistics show that during the period from 2004 to 2016 immigration flows to Lithuania consisted mainly of returning Lithuanians (about 80 percent) and 20 percent were foreigners from other EU and non-EU countries. In 2017 and 2018, this trend changed: in 2017 both returning Lithuanians and foreigners amounted to 50 percent of all immigration and in 2018 returning Lithuanians comprised 57 percent of total immigration and foreigners comprised 43 percent of total immigration. According to the statistical data of 2020, returning Lithuanians encompassed 48 percent, while foreigners comprised 52 percent of total immigration.

It can also be obtained through naturalization (0,6 percent) or reinstated to people (and their descendants) who had Lithuanian citizenship before June 15th 1940 (15,4 percent). Naturalization is the legal act or process by which a non-citizen in a country may acquire citizenship of that country. In Lithuania, the conditions for this process are quite strict (one must be a resident of Lithuania for the past ten years, have a permanent residence permit, pass the examinations of Lithuanian language and the Constitution, have a source of income in Lithuania), thus the number of individuals that have gained Lithuanian citizenship this way is modest (176 persons in 2020).

Loss of citizenship is defined as any mode of loss of the status as citizen of a country. Usually Lithuanian citizenship is lost by acquiring citizenship of another state (99 percent) because dual citizenship is allowed only in exceptional cases in Lithuania.

In the long run, as the number of young people is decreasing due to emigration, this causes serious demographic problems – diminishing number of marriages, decreasing birth rate, lack of workforce. A shrinking proportion of working people must support a growing number of the unemployed.

A reverse trend is being observed when comparing the number of older emigrants and the number of Lithuania’s residents. People that are 65 or older only comprise about 1 percent of the total emigration flow, despite making up about 20 percent of the entire population.

According to the law, one of the parents usually remains a legal representative. But in a situation when both or a single parent leaves the country, before leaving they have to submit a request for temporary guardianship for their child to the Municipal Services of Children’s Rights Protection. From 2020, after a change in the legislation, authorities no longer collect data on temporary guardianship under the request of parents when one or both left the country. 

More than 87 thousand foreigners lived in Lithuania in 2020. The vast majority are third country nationals: 21 percent are people who have obtained a permanent residence permits (PRPs), which are issued for five years. 71 percent are people who have obtained a temporary residence permits (TRPs), which are usually issued for 1-2 years. Citizens of the EU and their families amount to 9 percent.

Legal changes were implemented in 2017 which facilitated admission conditions for workers who have a profession in demand in Lithuania. These workers do not need to obtain a work permit. Therefore from 2017 information regarding foreign workers is based on decisions to issue a temporary residence permit or national D visa on the ground of employment.

In 2020 the number of migrant workers in Lithuania has reduced: during the year almost 33 thousand temporary residence permits and 28,4 thousand national D visas on the ground of employment were issued.

This data is based on decisions to issue a temporary residence permit and national D visas on the ground of employment. From 2019, data is presented in percentage values. According to this information, in 2020, 29239 decisions were made to issue a work-related temporary residence permit for foreigners whose professions were on the shortage occupation list. Majority of foreign workers came from Ukraine (51 percent) and Belarus (38 percent).

In 2020 Lithuania received 321 asylum applications. It is a 50 percent decrease if compared to 2019.

Based on preliminary data from 2021 September, Lithuania’s migration institutions received almost 11 times more asylum requests than in 2020.

The majority people that were granted asylum were citizens of Russian Federation (30 percent), Turkey (23 percent), Tajikistan (15 percent) and Syrian Arab Republic (12 percent). It is important to emphasize that a decision of granting an asylum can be made in the next year after the application of asylum has been lodged. Therefore, in particular cases, the number of lodged applications can be less than the number of asylum granted in the same year. For example, in 2020 an asylum has been granted for 19 citizens of Turkey even though only 16 asylum applications were lodged by Turkish citizens in the same year.

For the vast majority of irregular migrants Lithuania is a transit state whilst trying to reach West Europe or Scandinavian countries. 4575 foreigners were denied entry to Lithuania in 2020, mainly due to threat to security and public order (70 percent) or because they did not have a valid travel document (16 percent). 

These people can leave voluntarily given a certain period of time for voluntary departure. If they do not leave Lithuania within this time period or the period for voluntary departure cannot be given, then they are expelled from Lithuania.
The graphic portrays the number of aliens subject to a return decision and the number of people expelled from Lithuania. It is worth noting that return decisions also include obligations to leave (when foreigners are returned to other EU Member States where they can stay legally).