In 2024, the number of asylum seekers arriving in Germany reached 213,499—more than the population of Oberhausen, a city in North Rhine-Westphalia with 211,099 residents.
The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees reported this figure, which the government touted as progress. “The number of asylum applications fell significantly in 2024 compared to previous years,” government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit wrote on X.
However, the numbers tell a more complex story. While 2024’s total marked a drop from 324,636 in 2023 and 252,422 in 2022, it was still higher than the annual figures recorded during the five years before the current coalition government, when applications consistently stayed under 200,000.
Since 2015, nearly 2.8 million people have sought asylum in Germany, not including family reunifications, which can add up to four relatives per applicant. The influx means Germany must expand housing and infrastructure to accommodate new arrivals. Additionally, crime rates, influenced by immigration of predominantly young men from Islamic countries, remain a concern. Statistics indicate asylum seekers are disproportionately represented in crime data.
Critics also point out that while asylum numbers dipped compared to the last two years, the overall trend continues upward. Deportations remain rare, and few choose voluntary repatriation. In the past three years of the current government, there have been 790,557 asylum applications.
Thorsten Frei (CDU), Parliamentary Managing Director of the Union Group, accused the government of “number trickery.” He urged the administration to address the migration crisis at its roots, warning that the public finds the situation incomprehensible and that it could bolster radical parties. “Such asylum immigration overwhelms our country and is no reason for any success reports,” Frei said to Bild.
Frei also criticized the legacy of Angela Merkel’s CDU-led government, under which the asylum crisis began, noting that the underlying issues have yet to be resolved.
