Country Update 2025: GERMANY
- Daniela Boehme
- May 18
- 2 min read
Contributed by: Daniela Boehme
May 2025
1. Legislative Changes
There are several drafts on the table: e.g. GEAS Adjustment Laws; Influx-Limitation Act; Bill to better prevent abusive paternity recognition; Bill for the Improvement of Internal Security and the Asylum System; Act on implementation of the Combating Terrorism Directive 2017/541; and the coalition treaty announced more drafts in migration law, but there have been no relevant legislative changes since May 2024, just some laws or parts of them have come into force:
01.06.2024 Act on the further development of skilled labour immigration
("FEG 2.0“, introducing the Opportunity Card)
26.06.2024 Act on Modernization of Citizenship Law
(Dual citizenship and easier naturalisation)
2. Business Immigration
Three-column model
1. Qualification
2. Experience
3. Potential
Qualification
Blue Card
Annual gross income thresholds updated (and raised again, similar to
2023):
- for regular professions to €48,300 (€45,300 in 2024)
- for professions with shortages (such as natural scientists, mathematics, engineers, doctors and IT specialists and an even wider scope now), for beginners (degrees obtained within the last three years) and for IT
specialists even without a degree, to €43,579.80 (€41,041.80 in 2024).
(These thresholds are tied to the yearly general pension insurance
contribution assessment ceiling - the "jährliche Beitragsbemessungsgrenze der allgemeinen Rentenversicherung").
In 2023, 41,000 Blue Cards were issued; in the first half of 2024, 23,000.
Experience
Visa for Experienced Workers
At least 2 years work experience within the last 5 years, plus minimum income of €43,470 (€40,776 in 2024) gross per year; if above 44 years of age, at least €53,130 (49,830 in 2024); job offer in field of experience.
Potential
Opportunity Card (point system)
Six points needed.
Point criteria: qualification, work experience, MINT, language skills, age, relation to Germany, potential of the accompanying spouse.
Duration: one year; if a job offer exists but not yet all criteria fulfilled, a maximum two-year extension.
3. Family based immigration
No major issues in this area.
4. Asylum
Ukraine - as of March 2025, 1,252,948 (April 2024, 1,116,510) registered war refugees from Ukraine in Germany:
- 1,213,881 (939,212 in 2024) based on Article 24 of Directive 2001/55/EC / § 24 Residence Act
- the rest are not Ukrainian citizens
Asylum (excluding Ukraine)
- In 2024, 250,945 (in 2023 351,915) asylum applications including 229,751 (in 2023 329,120) first applications.
- Asylum applications in 2025: 41,100 (until March 2025; in 2024: 71,061 until March 2024), including first and second applications.
Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey are the main countries of origin.
5. Deportation
In 2024, 20,084 (in 2023 16,430) people were deported (excluding Dublin transfers; main countries: Georgia, North-Macedonia, Albania and Turkey).
In August 2024, the first deportations to Afghanistan since 2021 (28 penal STraftäter) took place.
Dublin
In 2025, 74,583 transfer requests from Germany; only 5,827 were transferred (7.81% (in 2024: 6.77 %); main countries: Greece, Croatia and Italy.
in 2025 (until April 2025): 24,053 transfer requests from Germany, 2,037
transferred (8.47 %)
6. Citizenship
With Act on Modernisation of Citizenship Law from 3/2024 (in force 26.06.2024)
facilitating of naturalisation
now possible after 5 years (before 8, can even be only after 3 now if integration achievements)
dual citizenship accepted
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