New data revealing that nearly half of Syrians in Germany remain dependent on citizen’s benefits nearly a decade after the 2015 asylum wave has cast doubt on the narrative that Syrian migrants provide a net benefit to the country.
Figures from the Federal Employment Agency show that, as of August 2024, 518,050 Syrian citizens in Germany were in receipt of state welfare benefits, or Bürgergeld, reflecting persistent integration challenges.
These statistics come as Enzo Weber, president of the Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research, made waves with remarks suggesting that a voluntary return of Syrian workers would be manageable for the German labor market. Speaking on Monday, Weber argued that those who wish to return to Syria should not be hindered and could be best placed aiding reconstruction efforts in their homeland.
Weber’s statements stand in stark contrast to years of government rhetoric portraying Syrian migrants as a crucial source of skilled labor. However, as reported by Nius, only 32.7 percent of Syrians in Germany were employed in jobs subject to social insurance contributions as of May 2024, compared to 65.3 percent of Germans. This is despite the younger average age of the Syrian population.
Germany currently hosts over 1 million Syrian nationals, including 972,460 residents recorded by the end of 2023 and 72,420 new asylum applications filed in 2024. However, most Syrian migrants lack professional qualifications, further complicating efforts to integrate them into the workforce.
These challenges are reflected in the growing number of citizens’ benefit recipients, which has risen despite the arrival of hundreds of thousands of new Syrians in recent years.
Proposals to facilitate voluntary returns have sparked debate over Germany’s migration policies.
On Monday, Germany’s Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) announced it would temporarily freeze asylum applications from Syrian citizens as did several other European nations.
🇩🇪🚨 Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has suspended all pending asylum applications from Syria.
Around 47,270 Syrian asylum applications are affected.
The move will not affect existing decisions. pic.twitter.com/fMUVYuWyJI
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) December 9, 2024Prominent CDU/CSU politicians — the parties expected to win the most parliamentary seats in February’s elections — have called for a swift return home for Syrian refugees.
“Germany has offered refuge to many people in need. When the situation changes and the reason for asylum effectively ceases to exist, then there’s no legal reason to stay in the country,” said CSU chair Markus Söder, while former health minister Jens Spahn suggested the German government should charter planes and offer financial incentives for those considering a return.
The hardline Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been more blunt. “For many people from Syria, the reason to flee no longer exists. Obviously, these people should promptly return to their homeland,” said its co-leader Alice Weidel.
🚨 AUSTRIA: Up to 30,000 Syrians took to the streets of Vienna to celebrate following the fall of Assad.
The Austrian Freedom Party (FPÖ) is calling for these Syrians to now return home.pic.twitter.com/D4y8Xwvz0A
— Remix News & Views (@RMXnews) December 9, 2024Meanwhile, neighboring Austria has taken the lead in returning an estimated 100,000 former Syrian refugees.
“I have instructed the ministry to prepare an orderly return and deportation program to Syria,” Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said on Monday, although no further details on whether such a program will be mandatory have been disclosed.
Also, in Sweden, the right-wing Sweden Democrats who prop up the current center-right administration have called for the possible revocation of residence permits for Syrians following Bashar al-Assad’s fall, asserting that refugee status should be temporary.
