More than two months after the fall of the Assad regime, the fate of Syrian refugees has once again become a central topic of discussion, particularly in Germany, which has been one of the largest host countries for Syrians in recent years.
As questions surrounding their future mount, political and social debates intensify over how Germany should handle the issue in the coming phase.
On December 9, 2024—just a day after the fall of Assad’s regime—the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) announced a temporary suspension of asylum applications from Syrian nationals. The agency stated that the resumption of these procedures would depend on a thorough and reliable assessment of Syria’s future conditions.
Now, Syrians in Germany face difficult choices: returning to a homeland still grappling with instability and economic collapse or staying in a country that has provided opportunities for integration and employment but may introduce new legal challenges depending on shifting political dynamics.
Syrian Population in Germany
Syrians constitute the second-largest group of protection seekers in Germany, following Ukrainians. According to the Federal Statistical Office, as of 2023, the Central Register of Foreigners recorded approximately 712,000 Syrians with protection status in Germany, with 12% of them born in the country.
These figures, however, exclude Syrians residing in Germany under different types of residence permits, such as work visas. When including these categories, the total number of Syrians in Germany by the end of 2023 was estimated at around 972,000, with 80,505 holding permanent residency.
Additionally, these statistics do not account for Syrian refugees who have obtained German citizenship. In 2023 alone, more than 75,000 Syrians became German citizens, bringing the total over the past decade to 165,000.
The 2023 census further indicates that approximately 1.3 million people of Syrian descent live in Germany. Among them, 82% were born in Syria, while 18% have at least one Syrian-born parent. Of this group, 214,000 individuals hold German citizenship.
Employment and Education Among Syrians in Germany
A study by the Institute for Labor Market and Occupational Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency revealed that as of September 2024, approximately 287,000 Syrians were employed in Germany, with 236,000 registered in jobs covered by the country’s social security system.
Syrians make up about 0.6% of Germany’s total workforce, rising to approximately 0.8% when including naturalized citizens. Their employment rate stands at 41.7%, compared to the overall foreign employment rate of 56%. However, job opportunities tend to increase with the length of stay in Germany.
The study also highlights a significant gender gap in employment. While 73% of Syrian men were working seven years after their arrival, only 29% of Syrian women had joined the workforce. This disparity is attributed to several factors, including childcare responsibilities that prevent many refugee women from attending language courses or enrolling in vocational training programs.
Moreover, many Syrian women previously worked in professions that require qualification recognition in Germany, such as teaching and education, which presents additional barriers to employment.
According to official statistics, six out of ten Syrians in jobs covered by Germany’s social security system hold positions requiring specialized academic or vocational qualifications. The majority work in production and manufacturing, transportation and logistics, and healthcare.
As of June 2024, more than 53,600 Syrians were employed in sectors facing labor shortages, particularly in vehicle engineering, public transportation, and the medical field.
Germany’s Medical Association reports that Syrian doctors currently make up the largest group of foreign medical professionals in the country, with 5,758 Syrian doctors registered as of December 31, 2023.
In education, about 1.4 million foreign students were enrolled in public schools in Germany during the 2023/2024 academic year, including 206,000 Syrian students. Additionally, 56,100 Syrians were enrolled in vocational schools.
Could Syrians in Germany Lose Protection and Face Deportation?
With growing calls to revoke protection for Syrians in Germany due to political changes in Syria, and as the German government reviews its asylum policies, concerns among Syrian refugees over potential deportation or loss of legal status are on the rise.
While German law allows for the revocation of protection status if conditions in the home country improve significantly and sustainably, such decisions involve complex legal processes that take considerable time. This uncertainty has left many Syrians anxious about their future in Germany.
In principle, the BAMF has the authority to revoke protection status—whether asylum, refugee status under the Geneva Convention, or subsidiary protection—if the situation in Syria improves in a lasting and fundamental way, as outlined in § 73 paragraph 1 of the German Asylum Act. In such cases, residence permits can also be revoked under Section 52 of the Residence Act.
However, a substantial and permanent improvement in Syria’s political and humanitarian conditions remains uncertain. Each case is assessed individually, and those affected have the right to challenge revocation decisions in court.
Legal experts expect that these proceedings will place a significant burden on Germany’s migration office and courts. Even in a best-case scenario for Syria’s recovery, mass deportations of Syrians currently holding protection status are unlikely to take place in the near future. According to Daniel Timm, a professor of public, European, and international law at the University of Konstanz, such processes could take years to implement.
Meanwhile, Syrians who have already obtained or are in the process of obtaining German citizenship will not be affected by potential changes to asylum policies, as recent developments in Syria do not impact the criteria for acquiring German nationality.
Do Syrians Want to Stay in Germany?
Before the fall of the Assad regime, a periodic survey conducted by the IAB examined Syrian refugees’ intentions to remain in Germany. The findings showed that 94% of Syrians who arrived in Germany between 2013 and 2019 expressed a desire to stay permanently.
Commenting on the evolving situation, Herbert Brucker, director of the Berlin Institute for Integration and Migration Research (BIM), noted that the likelihood of return decreases with the duration of stay. “The longer refugees remain in their host country, the less inclined they are to return to their country of origin,” he explained.
As Germany reassesses its migration policies in light of Syria’s changing political landscape, the future of its Syrian refugee population remains a complex and evolving issue, shaped by both domestic considerations and developments in Syria itself.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
