Foreign-born population – 2025 | 19% of the population | Main countries of birth: Poland (10%), Türkiye (9%), Ukraine (7%) |
Size: 16.1 million, 50% women | Evolution since 2015: +49% |
International Migration Outlook 2026
50th Edition
In 2025, Germany received 538 000 new immigrants on a long-term or permanent basis (including changes of status and free mobility), ‑6.3% compared to 2024. This figure comprises 45% immigrants benefitting from free mobility, 16% labour migrants, 21% family members (including accompanying family) and 17% humanitarian migrants. Around 74 000 permits were issued to tertiary-level international students and 21 000 to temporary and seasonal labour migrants (excluding intra-EU migration). In addition, 508 000 intra-EU postings were recorded in 2024, a ‑7% decrease compared to 2023. These posted workers are generally on short-term contracts.
Ukraine, Romania and Syria were the top three nationalities of newcomers in 2024. Among the top 15 countries of origin, India registered the strongest increase (5 900) and Ukraine the largest decrease (‑50 000) in flows to Germany compared to the previous year.
In 2025, the number of first asylum applicants decreased by ‑51%, to reach around 113 000. The majority of applicants came from Afghanistan (24 000), Syria (23 000) and Türkiye (12 000). The largest increase since 2024 concerned nationals of China (500) and the largest decrease nationals of Syria (‑53 000). Of the 273 000 decisions taken in 2025, 32% were positive.
Emigration of German citizens to OECD countries decreased by ‑4% in 2024, to 139 000. Approximately 18% of this group migrated to Switzerland, 14% to Austria and 12% to Spain.
In 2025, Germany continued to prioritise labour migration as a response to persistent workforce shortages. The Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz), introduced in 2020 and substantially expanded since November 2023, remained the cornerstone of this strategy. Key instruments include the EU Blue Card, whose eligibility criteria were broadened and salary thresholds adjusted, and the “Opportunity Card” (Chancenkarte), allowing third-country nationals to enter Germany to seek employment. From January 2026, the counselling service “Fair Integration” was implemented on a legal basis. It offers counselling for refugees and migrants from third countries on social and labour law issues.
Part of the agreement for a new government in spring 2025 was the creation of a digital “Work and Stay Agency”. It is designed as a new central IT platform to streamline and digitalise skilled labour migration by co‑ordinating visa and temporary residence permit procedures, recognition of qualifications and integration support. The government agreed upon a key issues paper in November 2025. Contracts for crucial IT components will be commissioned by the end of 2026.
Following the formation of a new coalition in spring 2025, Germany adopted a more restrictive stance on irregular migration. In 2025, temporary border checks were extended until March 2026 and reinforced, with permanent checks reintroduced on several land borders.
In parallel, Germany finalised legislative preparations to transpose the reformed Common European Asylum System (CEAS), adopted at EU level in 2024, into national law. These provisions, which entered into force in June 2026, introduce accelerated border procedures, specialised facilities for certain categories of applicants (including “Dublin cases”) and shortened waiting periods for labour market access for asylum seekers. In February 2026, Germany also introduced a new mechanism allowing the Federal Government to designate safe countries of origin for the purposes of international protection by statutory order.
Germany maintained recently relaxed citizenship rules introduced under the previous government, notably the five‑year standard residence period and the general acceptance of multiple citizenship. However, the “fast-track” naturalisation route after three years of residence was abolished in 2025.
Germany continued to be the largest host country for displaced persons from Ukraine. Residence permits issued under Section 24 of the Residence Act (temporary protection) were automatically extended following EU and national decisions adopted in 2025. All such permits valid as of 1 February 2026 were extended until 4 March 2027, without requiring individual applications.
The Federal Employment Agency launched the three‑year pilot project “Kick-Start Your Career” at the beginning of 2025, which aims to identify successful measures to better support international graduates from universities in Germany in their integration into the German labour market. A special focus has been placed on Indian students as the largest group of foreign students in Germany.
The relaunch of the National Action Plan against Racism (NAP-R) started in 2025. The coalition agreement states that the NAP-R should be revised, based on a scientific definition of racism in order to combat its various manifestations and dimensions. The Directives on standards for equality bodies (EU 2024/1499 and 2024/1500) were due to be transposed at national level by June 2026.
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