← All EU countries

Immigration 20241,078,5042nd in the EU-27
Net migration 2024+494,274immigration − emigration
First-time asylum claims 2025113,2354th in the EU-27 · 16.9% UE
New citizenships 2024288,6701st in the EU-27

Germany ranks 2nd in the EU-27 for regular immigration: in 2024 it registered 1,078,504 arrivals and 584,230 departures, for a net balance of +494,274. In 2025 first-time asylum applications came to 113,235, 16.9% of the EU total; citizenship acquisitions in 2024 numbered 288,670.

Regular migration

The series includes all citizenships — EU citizens moving between member states and returning nationals included — and counts those moving their usual residence for at least 12 months. Compared with 2019, immigration is up 29%.

Immigration Emigration

Regular migration, Germany, by year · Eurostat
YearImmigrationEmigrationNet
20241,078,504584,230+494,274
20231,303,251580,499+722,752
20221,977,121452,713+1,524,408
2021801,361458,574+342,787
2020666,639404,026+262,613
2019834,338496,613+337,725
2018855,708475,582+380,126
2017900,291516,505+383,786
20161,042,484513,227+529,257
20151,595,865321,915+1,273,950
2014898,840314,433+584,407
2013692,713259,328+433,385
2012592,175240,001+352,174
2011489,422249,045+240,377
2010404,055252,456+151,599
2009346,216286,582+59,634
2008682,146737,889−55,743

Asylum applications

First-time applications for international protection lodged in Germany in 2025 came to 113,235 (the 4th-highest in the EU). The series peak remains 2016, with 722,355 applications.

First-time asylum applications, Germany, by year · Eurostat
YearFirst-time claims
2025113,235
2024229,750
2023329,120
2022217,775
2021148,230
2020102,585
2019142,515
2018161,935
2017198,310
2016722,355
2015441,895
2014173,075
2013109,580
201264,530
201145,740
201041,330
200927,650
200821,365

New citizenships

In 2024 citizenship acquisitions came to 288,670, the 1st-highest in the EU-27. It is a lagging indicator: today's new citizens typically immigrated several years ago. The main previous citizenships of new citizens (2024): Syria (83,190), Türkiye (22,520), Russia (15,215), Ukraine (9,055), Romania (8,645).

Citizenship acquisitions, Germany, by year · Eurostat
YearAcquisitions
2024288,670
2023199,790
2022166,640
2021129,990
2020111,170
2019131,980
2018116,750
2017115,421
2016112,843
2015110,128
2014110,610
2013111,775
2012114,637
2011109,594
2010104,600
200996,122
200894,470

Who leaves

In 2024, 151,286 of the country's own citizens moved abroad (the 3rd-highest in the EU). The true number is almost certainly higher: emigration is measured through de-registrations, and people who leave do not always deregister.

How to read these numbers. Regular migration follows the UN definition (residence ≥ 12 months) and also includes EU citizens and returning nationals. “First-time applications” exclude repeat claims in the same country. Emigration, based on de-registrations, is generally undercounted. Definitions in the glossary, sources and limits in the methodology.

Compare with the other EU countries or return to the atlas.