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Germany: Immigration reaches record high in 2022

June 27, 2023

People fleeing Russia's war in Ukraine have brought migration to Germany to a higher level than ever before.

https://p.dw.com/p/4T6ch
Volunteers distribute drinks and food to refugees from Ukraine arriving at the main train station in Berlin
Volunteers across Germany jumped into action to help welcome Ukrainians, and other refugees, fleeing warImage: Hannibal Hanschke/Getty Images

The number of people who migrated to Germany in 2022 was higher than in any other year, the German federal statistics agency Destatis said in a report on Tuesday.

Some 2.67 million people entered the country while 1.2 million left, leaving Germany with a net gain of 1.46 million people.

The main cause for the influx was the war in Ukraine which forced 1.1 million Ukrainian refugees to seek safety in Germany, Destatis said.

In comparison, arrivals in 2021 stood at 1.32 million against 994,000 people who left the country.

Germany seeks to attract foreign skilled workers

Where are Germany's migrants coming from?

The majority of Ukrainians entering Germany arrived between March and May of 2022, shortly after Russia launched its full-scale invasion. The numbers began to fall consistently from August.

The number of people arriving from Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey also increased in 2022 over the previous year.

Arrivals from other EU countries also increased slightly, with a net gain of 87,000 people compared to a net gain of 81,000 in 2021.

The main EU countries of origin for migrants to Germany were Romania, Poland and Bulgaria.

If I come to Germany as a refugee, what can I expect?

Germans also on the move

The number of people with German citizenship emigrating from the country also increased in 2022, with 83,000 people leaving in comparison with the 64,000 who left in 2021.

The main destinations for German emigration were Switzerland, Austria and the US.

Within Germany, the data showed that over 1 million people had moved between the country's 16 federal states.

The capital, Berlin, and the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg saw the biggest losses — around 10,000 each — with Brandenburg, the state that surrounds Berlin, being the main winner of internal migration.

While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter Berlin Briefing.

ab/nm (dpa, AFP)