The latest report of the Federal Statistical Office revealed a substantial decline in the number of Syrians entering Germany since the beginning of 2025. In addition, the number of Syrians leaving the country has risen significantly throughout 2025. From January to September 2025, about 40,000 Syrians entered Germany, a figure 46.5% lower than during the same period last year (74,600 Syrians).
The report recorded the departure of 21,880 Syrians from January to September 2025, an increase of 35% compared to the same period last year, when 16,100 Syrians left the country. The report does not specify the legal status of those departing, including their reasons for migration, protection status, or asylum status.
The results of the report confirm the significant changes affecting Syrians seeking asylum in Germany, particularly since the fall of the Assad regime. According to German government figures, the number of Syrian asylum seekers reached approximately 713,000 by the end of last year, roughly 200,000 fewer than in the previous period. From January to September 2025, around 19,200 Syrian asylum applications were recorded, representing a 67% decrease compared to last year.
Germany’s statistics align with the situation of Syrian asylum seekers in EU countries. Eurostat recorded around 26,200 asylum applications by Syrians from January to July 2025, representing a 68.8% decline compared to the same period in 2024. Experts expect that Syrian asylum seekers will hold the third-highest number in the EU by the end of 2025, after Afghans and Venezuelans.
The current government, led by the coalition, seeks to expand the repatriation of Syrians and to reach an agreement with Syria regarding their return. In recent days, the issue has sparked widespread political controversy, particularly following remarks by Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul during his visit to Syria about the difficulty of Syrians returning. He stated that “a decent life is nearly impossible there.” These remarks were regarded as breaching the coalition government’s agreement.
In the same context, Jens Spahn, leader of the parliamentary group of the coalition, proposed increasing incentives to encourage Syrians to leave voluntarily. He suggested raising the current “Start-Up” grant but did not specify the percentage of the increase. Currently, the German government provides 1,000 euros per individual, up to a maximum of 4,000 euros per family, to leave Germany and start work in Syria.
