Minister of the Interior V. Kondratovič meets with Indian Ambassador D. Uttam
Minister of the Interior Vladislav Kondratovič met with the Ambassador of India to Lithuania, Devesh Uttam, to discuss current migration issues and the strengthening of bilateral cooperation.
While discussing the migration situation, the Minister emphasized that Lithuania pays great attention to state border protection and migration management, aiming to prevent the instrumentalization of illegal migration. He also highlighted that priority is given to attracting highly qualified specialists.
Currently, about 208,000 foreigners live in Lithuania, comprising around 8% of the country’s population. Roughly half of them hold residence permits for work, business, or other employment-related activities.
Since the beginning of 2024, Lithuania has implemented an annual quota for third-country nationals coming to work – it may not exceed 1.4% of the previous year's permanent resident population. This year, the quota is set at 24,830 individuals. The quota does not apply to highly qualified workers (EU Blue Card holders) or students.
As of May 1, 2025, 7,225 Indian citizens were residing in Lithuania with valid residence permits, nearly 5,000 of whom held permits based on employment or highly qualified work.
“Our main priority is that people come to Lithuania legally – to study at our universities, engage in lawful employment, or establish businesses. Only in this way can we ensure a smooth integration process and public safety. We must remain vigilant, as uncontrolled migration flows can be exploited by hostile states as a tool for hybrid attacks. Therefore, it is crucial not only to strengthen border protection but also to have effective screening and verification mechanisms to distinguish those genuinely seeking to contribute to our country’s welfare from those who may pose a threat to our national security,” the Minister stated.
The Minister also presented the Government's key internal affairs policy priorities: strengthening civil protection and crisis management, improving working conditions for law enforcement institutions, reinforcing the protection of the external border, and ensuring effective migration management at both the national and EU levels. He also emphasized the importance of increasing the efficiency of public administration, attracting talent, and strengthening competencies in the civil service. He noted that consistent support for Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression remains a horizontal priority for Lithuania. Since the start of the war, the internal affairs system has provided over €7.5 million in aid to Ukrainian institutions.
Last updated: 21-05-2025
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