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The 2016/2017 Migration Report ,
Source: © iStock | Kasia Biel (cover image)
The Federal Government's Migration Reports deal with migration events in Germany, and provide a comprehensive overview of annual developments in immigration and emigration. They have been prepared by the Federal Office on an annual basis since 2005. A combined report for 2016/2017 was published in January 2019.
Main results
Reduction in net migration
Net immigration to Germany comprised 416,080 persons in 2017, based on 1.55 million new arrivals and 1.13 million departures. The positive migration balance in 2016 was 499,944 persons. This is a drastic decrease in comparison to 2015, when there was a positive balance of 1.14 million people coming to Germany.
Primary migration was from European countries
67.0 per cent of all immigrants moved to Germany from another European country in 2017 (2016: 56.3 per cent). As in the previous year, Romania was the main country of origin for immigrants in 2017, replacing Syria, which had highest number of new arrivals in 2015. Poland and Bulgaria ranked second and third place. In contrast, new arrivals from Syria, which still occupied first place on the list of the main countries of origin with the highest number of new arrivals in 2015, continued to fall significantly between 2016 and 2017.
Number of asylum applications has been greatly reduced
The number of asylum applications decline sharply in comparison to the claims reported in 2016 and previous year. In 2017, 198,317 new asylum applications were registered, a 73 per cent decline from the 722,400 claims in 2016 and less than half the number in 2015 (441,899). All in all, it can be seen that Germany has coped with the high number of immigrants seeking protection in recent years.
A slight increase in family reunification among third-country nationals in 2017
The family reunification of Third-Country Nationals has grown in the previous two years, a further increase was also recorded in 2017 (+ 8.8 per cent). A total of 114,861 residence permits for family reasons were issued in 2017 to persons who came to Germany in 2017 (2016: 105,551, 2015: 82,440).
Germany is a very popular study destination
In 2017, a total of 104,940 international students enrolled at higher education institutions in Germany, so far the largest number of foreign students who had completed their higher education entrance qualification abroad.
Germany attracts foreign skilled workers
The labour migration by Third-Country Nationals increased. The EU Blue Card in particular has become increasingly important as a residence permit for highly-qualified workers.
Germany remains the main destination country within the EU
Germany continues to be the number one destination country for migrants in a European comparison.
Almost one in four people in Germany has a migration background
According to the Mikrozensus, around 19.3 million people with a migration background lived in private households in Germany in 2017. That is almost one person in four living in private households (23.6 per cent). A person has a migration background if he or she or at least one parent does not have German citizenship by birth.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees prepares the Federal Government’s Migration Report on an annual basis.
The Migration Report is only available in German.
A summary of the main results of the 2016/2017 Migration Report is also available in English under Downloads.