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The residential history of refugees in Germany ,
The BAMF Brief Analysis 1|2022 takes the relevant statutory provisions into account in its examination of the frequency of and the reasons for refugees having relocated since entering Germany.
The analysis is based on data from the IAB-BAMF-SOEP survey of refugees, in particular from a retrospective additional survey of their residential histories in the survey year 2019. This involved each place of residence being asked about, including how long people stayed in each individual place, the type of accommodation, and the reason for relocating since arriving in Germany. The Brief Analysis focusses on the frequency of relocation, as well as on the reasons for relocating, which in turn provide information on the importance attaching to official allocations. An analysis was also carried out of the connection between the duration of residence in collective accommodation facilities until people moved into private-sector homes, and sociodemographic characteristics.
The most important results at a glance
Refugees with recognised status relocate frequently
The majority of refugees who came to Germany in the years from 2013 up to and including 2016 have already relocated more than once. This particularly applies to individuals who had entered the country by 2015 and have protected status. A considerable polarisation was noted among those who have relocated when it came to the amount of time that they spent in their first accommodation: Many of them move out soon after arriving, whilst others stay in their first accommodation for more than 18 months.
Official allocation as the main reason for moving
The reasons for relocating can be summed up by stating that refugees also continue to move and take up residence largely due to official allocations for at least three years after entering the country. As people remain longer, and a larger number of individuals may freely decide on where to live, this external reason however becomes less significant, and individual reasons become more important. If one examines the distances over which people are relocating, it becomes clear that refugees frequently move further away, and do not merely move from one form of accommodation to another within the same locality.
The majority have managed to make the transition into private-sector accommodation
An analysis of transitions from joint accommodation into private-sector housing shows that the lion's share of individuals with protection status have already managed to make this transition. That having been said, particularly individuals whose asylum applications were decided on after 2016, and who tend to be younger and not to have any children, appear to need more time to move into private-sector accommodation.
The Brief Analysis was written by: Dr. Kerstin Tanis