Armen Ghazaryan: Growing foreign interest in Armenia drives migration  shift

ArmInfo.  Armenia has undergone a significant demographic transformation, evolving from a  country of net emigration into a hub for international arrivals,  according to Armen Ghazaryan, Acting Deputy Minister of Internal  Affairs. Speaking at a press conference on August 14, 2026, which  reviewed the ministry's performance for the first half of the year,  Ghazaryan stated that interest from foreign nationals in relocating  to Armenia continues to trend upward. "This tendency is not only  persisting but gaining momentum," he emphasized.

In this regard, Nelly Davtyan, Acting Deputy Head of the Migration  Service of Armenia, provided data highlighting a sharp contrast in  border crossing trends: Armenian Citizens-during the first half of  2026, Armenia recorded a positive net migration balance of 1,347 for  its own citizens. This marks a notable shift from the negative  balances of 20,065 in the same period of 2025 and 22,893 in the first  half of 2024; Foreign Nationals- the net balance of foreign citizens  entering versus leaving Armenia reached 57,953 in the first half of  2026, compared to approximately 35,000 in the same periods of 2024  and 2025.

Davtyan described these figures as substantial. She noted that in the  first six months of 2026, the total number of arrivals exceeded  departures by 59,300, a significant increase from the 10,000 to  15,000 range recorded in previous years.

Note, data from the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia  indicates that the total migration surplus for the first half of 2026  stood at 5,200 people, compared to a surplus of 6,600 during the  first half of 2025.