(REMIX NEWS) – Ever since the 2015/16 migrant crisis, Syrians have arrived in Germany in ever-increasing numbers, and now number at least 972,000 at the end of 2023, according to Statista. There are 22 million Syrians living in Syria itself, meaning those in Germany represent nearly 1 for every 20 in their native country. This is extremely rapid growth since 2013 when there were only 60,000 Syrians in Germany. Since then, the population has grown 16-fold.
However, despite promises that Syrians would integrate into the German economy, the numbers still tell a very different story, with 513,534 Syrians receiving the German welfare benefit known as citizen’s money (Burgergeld), according to the current data from the Federal Employment Agency. However, even those who are not receiving this payment receive money, housing, and other benefits from the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act.
This is a major factor in Germany’s record-high debt levels, with the government spending nearly €50 billion on migrants in 2023, making up a sizeable portion of Germany’s overall budget. According to Statista, the number of Afghans has also grown tremendously, increasing to 419,410 in 2023, representing a sixfold increase from 2014. Nearly half of them, 197,551, receive social welfare payments, and the vast majority live on asylum seeker benefits. However, Afghanistan’s population is much larger than Syria, totaling 41 million, which means the share of Afghans living in Germany is much smaller relatively speaking.
