The number of migrants living in Germany under temporary tolerated status has risen again after several years of decline, reaching 200,601 at the end of September, according to government figures.
More than 256,000 people were obliged to leave the country at the same point, with the large majority unable to be deported for practical or legal reasons.
People with a “Duldung” — a formal suspension of deportation — remain obliged to leave Germany but cannot currently be removed, for example because of missing travel documents, family ties, illness, or other obstacles. The status is always temporary and can be extended.
At the end of 2025, 190,974 of 232,067 people obliged to leave held such status. By the end of 2022 the figure had been about 248,000. Roughly 45,000 people received tolerated status for the first time in 2026, including about 13,460 minors. Only 402 people were recorded with a training-related “tolerated status” and 17 with an employment-related one, according to Welt newspaper.
The earlier drop was linked in part to the Opportunity Residence Law introduced by the previous coalition, which allowed some long-term residents with tolerated status a path toward more secure residence under conditions including self-sufficiency and language skills. That pathway has now expired for many, and lower recognition rates in asylum procedures have also been cited as contributing factors to the renewed rise.
CDU interior policy spokesman Alexander Throm has criticized the high share of tolerated cases.
“That four out of five people who are actually obliged to leave have a tolerated status is a scandal,” he said. “It is too easy to just stay here. The issuance of tolerated status by local foreigners’ authorities must be made significantly more difficult.”
Huge taxpayer burden
People with tolerated status are generally entitled to benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act, which covers basic needs, accommodation, and limited medical care. After 36 months, these can approach levels closer to regular social assistance under certain conditions.
In 2025, gross expenditures under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act across Germany totaled about €6.16 billion, down from €6.72 billion the previous year.
Federal government spending related to refugees and asylum has run in the tens of billions of euros annually in recent years, though official statistics do not isolate the precise share attributable only to those with tolerated status versus those still in the asylum procedure or with other forms of protection.
As Remix News reported, government data shows that migration cost German taxpayers approximately €400 billion since 2026, with some estimates putting the sum much higher.
Long-term residents with tolerated status often remain on benefits for extended periods when they cannot secure employment or documents for return.
