The aim of this paper is to estimate the number and the demographic main characteristics of African migrants in Italy, focusing on return and circular migrations.

Data on African people returning in their country of origin are obtained using emigration flows time series.

Data on circularity are obtained by linking migration flows from 2007 to 2016 at individual level. A longitudinal database has been build up in order to identify circular migrants by looking for people who have crossed Italian borders at least three times during the last 10 years, each time with duration of stay of at least 90 days.

Subsequently, African circular migrants resident in Italy at 1^st Jan 2017 are identified by linking people with at least 2 immigrations to Italy during the last 10 years (with an immigration as last flow) at individual level to the Municipality Population Registers. The tax code has been used as a key for the record linkage. The amount of circular migrants resident in Italy is 38 thousand (the official population on 1st Jan 2017 is 60,6 millions); almost 34 thousand are non-nationals, and, among them, almost 6 thousand are African citizens and native-born.