Migrant integration in Hungary

According to Eurostat's Migration and migrant population statistics, as of 1 January 2024, there were about 332 200 third-country nationals (TCNs), representing 3.5% of the population, and another 344 800 EU citizens (3.6%) living in Hungary at the time.

Based on national statistics, most TCNs arrive from the neighbouring state of Ukraine as migrant workers. In recent years migrant workers have been increasingly arriving from Asian countries, mainly through temporary job agencies. Hungary also attracts a high number of Chinese and Vietnamese citizens, mainly entrepreneurs, maintaining a well-established transnational economy. In 2022, of the 57 286 first-time resident permits issued, 17.7% were for studies, 62.8% - for economic activities, and 9.5% - for family reunification. The number of people arriving for work purposes has almost tripled since 2017.

According to the European Migration Network (EMN)’s July 2024 country factsheet for Hungary, in terms of naturalisation, 825 acquired Hungarian citizenship, compared to 723  in 2021, 737 in 2020, and 1 008 in 2019. Hungary also saw just 30 international protection and asylum applications in 2023, compared to 45 in 2022, and 40 in 2021. 

However, by the end of January 2025, Hungary also counted a total of 39 325 non-EU citizens who had fled the war against Ukraine and were under temporary protection – see monthly updates in the numbers of temporary protection beneficiaries on Eurostat.

The OECD/EC Indicators of Immigrant Integration 2023: Settling In report provides further breakdowns of the composition of migrant populations and households in Hungary, including in terms of immigration flows by legal category, concentration in densely populated areas, duration of stay and household composition.

Hungary’s Migration Strategy for the period 2014-2020 guided the country’s actions for the integration of migrant populations into Hungarian society. The strategic document mainly emphasised migrants’ rights and duties in Hungary. It focused on providing support services, legal assistance and representation in all phases of the asylum procedure, with special emphasis on vulnerable persons.

Although the strategy foresaw the introduction of a more comprehensive integration programme, this did not happen during its run.

Hungary has not had a following migration and integration strategy.

Hungary also does not have an integration programme for newcomers.

In 2014, the government introduced a support system for beneficiaries of international protection and persons under subsidiary protection which established an integration contract for beneficiaries of international protection. In this framework, recognised beneficiaries were encouraged to sign a tripartite integration contract with a local Family Support Centre and the Office of Immigration and Nationality. The contract set forward personal integration targets. During a maximum of 2 years, beneficiaries were further entitled to a monthly cash allowance based on their household size. The scheme was however cancelled in June 2016.

For foreign pupils, an intercultural pedagogical programme was published in 2005. It enabled primary and secondary schools to develop and maintain extracurricular education activities for pupils of migrant backgrounds to help them learn the Hungarian language and catch up with the school curriculum. Although never officially cancelled or replaced by another programme, this scheme has not been active for over a decade.

Integration programmes are delivered by local NGOs with the financial support of international organisations.

There is no official mainstream evaluation of migrant integration in Hungary. However, research accessing specific areas or target groups' integration levels is available. The 2016 microcensus assessed the employment and social situation of immigrants in Hungary. According to the joint EU-OECD 2023 Settling In Report: Indicators of Immigrant Integration, chapter 8, TCNs in Hungary tend to be educated and employed (close to 70% of them); however, TCN households have notably lower incomes.

More concretely, the international Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) points out that, just like in most Central and Eastern European countries, migrants do not enjoy equal opportunities. Many obstacles emerge in several areas, especially in education, health, political participation and access to nationality. Policies are particularly restrictive and unfavourable on education. Compared to the other Visegrad countries, Hungary generally appears to adopt similar policies to Slovakia and Poland. In contrast, integration policies are much more developed in neighbouring Czechia. The country's approach to integration is therefore classified as providing ‘equality on paper’, with Hungary receiving 43 out of 100 points on the MIPEX 2020 scale, below the average of 49 points across the countries included in the study.

The NIEM Report found that for beneficiaries of international protection, strengthening labour market integration and housing policies is crucial to improving integration. The report recommends the provision of intercultural education and complex support for the public, higher, and adult education of beneficiaries of international protections, including Hungarian language training, facilitation of the recognition of qualifications obtained abroad, and the implementation of special labour market integration and housing programmes.

Overall, data from both MIPEX and NIEM show that integration of third-country nationals and beneficiaries of international protection mainly aims at ensuring the minimal level of acceptable legal rights and mainstream entitlements and that there are no targeted integration measures in place.

Act II of 2007 on the admission and residence of TCNs establishes the basic conditions for the right of entry and stay linked to the different types of short- and long-term (or permanent) residence permits, as well as the grounds for restricting or denying these rights. The Act has undergone several amendments, usually to transpose EU immigration legislation.

Act LXXX of 2007 was adopted to protect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of displaced persons. It establishes the conditions for the granting of asylum, subsidiary protection, temporary protection and other humanitarian grounds for stay. It also regulates the proceedings for granting and withdrawing recognition of such statuses.

The most recent major amendments were adopted in June 2016, March 2017, and May 2020. The first canceled the Integration Contract and Support Scheme for beneficiaries of international protection, and the second established special "transit zones" - places for asylum seekers to stay in while their status was determined by the authorities. The third amendment canceled these zones, introducing the so-called ‘embassy procedure’. This procedure makes it impossible for a person to ask for asylum unless they have already submitted a declaration of will at the Hungarian consulates in Belgrade and Kyiv. The ongoing war in Ukraine, however, renders submission of an asylum application in Kyiv impossible.

Act LV of 1993 on Hungarian citizenship aims to strengthen the attachment and devotion of Hungarian citizens to Hungary. It promotes the unification of citizenship within a family and aims at reducing cases of statelessness. The act regulates the acquisition (and termination) of Hungarian citizenship by right, naturalisation or other lawful means. It was substantially amended in 2010, making it possible for non-Hungarian citizens whose ascendants were Hungarian or who can substantiate that they are of Hungarian origin to be naturalised on preferential terms, even if they do not or have never legally resided in Hungary.

Act CXXV of 2003 on equal treatment and opportunities aims to provide effective legal protection to those subjected to discrimination. It states that the promotion of equal opportunities is a duty of the state. The act determines the grounds in which discrimination may occur, and defines the potential actors and applicable areas (employment, social security and health care, housing, education and training, and goods and services). It regulates the procedures which may be initiated following a violation of the principle of equal treatment, defining the role of the Equal Treatment Authority and its advisory board.

In January 2021, however, the authority lost its independent status and became a department of the Ombudsman’s Office.

Act L. of 2023 on the employment of foreign workers introduces the concept of guest workers and a new type of residence permit. This guest worker residence permit can be obtained by citizens of countries outside the EEA and from non-neighbouring countries. The aim of this new legislation is, on the one hand, to tackle labour shortages and to attract a foreign workforce via a simplified procedure. On the other hand, it prohibits the settlement of guest workers in Hungary as well as the issuance of residence permits for their family members to visit. The law will take effect from 1 November 2023.

Given that migrant integration is not a self-standing policy area, all governmental actors are likely to be involved in areas of integration relating to their competencies. However, in practice, the Ministry of Interior and the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing could be considered as leading authorities in the field.

The role of local authorities is not officially established. They however occasionally engage in projects related to the integration of migrants and beneficiaries of international protection.

There is no consultative body on integration in Hungary.

Given the little public support provided to migrants to guide them through the services they are eligible for, migrant integration activities and research are mainly project-based and conducted by NGOs active in the area.

Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF)

• Details: The allocation for Hungary under AMIF for the 2021-2027 period is €72,1 million.  Areas of intervention: 1) improving the capacity of the asylum system; 2) supporting the social- and labour-market integration of TCNs; 3) sustainable return. Besides these areas, the reception and social integration of people displaced from Ukraine is a priority.
• National managing authority: The national managing authority for AMIF in Hungary is the interior ministry’s Department of Support Coordination.

European Social Fund Plus (ESF+)

• Details: The European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) is contributing €5.3 billion to Hungary over the 2021-2027 period to support access to the labour market, quality education, and the integration of disadvantaged groups, including Roma. Specific attention will be paid to the development of skills required to thrive in the green and digital transition.
• National managing authorities: The bodies responsible for the management of ESF+ in Hungary are:
  • Human Resources Development Operational Programme Plus: Prime Minister’s Office
  • Digital Renewal Operational Programme Plus: Cabinet Office of the Prime Minister
  • Economic Development and Innovation Operational Programme Plus: Prime Minister’s Office -Deputy State Secretariat for the Implementation of Economic Development Programs
  • Territorial and Settlement Development Operational Programme Plus: Prime Minister’s Office

ERASMUS+, the EU’s programme to support education, training, youth and sport in Europe

National managing authority: TEMPUS Közalapítvány

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to strengthen economic and social cohesion in the EU by correcting regional imbalances

National managing authority: the Hungarian Prime Minister’s Office

• Tempus Public Foundation
• National Employment Public Foundation
• Nemzeti Együttműködési Alap (civil.info.hu)
• UNHCR Regional Representation for Central Europe
• International Visegrad Fund