The 23,325 permits issued are only a drop compared to the 3 million issued EU-wide.
But at 26 permits per 1,000 population they were the second highest relative to population after Malta, which topped the table with 42, and more than three times the EU 27 average. Poland was third with 19, followed by Slovenia (15) and Luxembourg (14).
Employment-related reasons accounted for 41 per cent of all first residence permits issued...