A decline of 67%. Germany records biggest collapse in Syrian refugee status since 2015
The number of Syrian asylum seekers to Germany has fallen by the biggest since the 2015 wave of asylum, according to the latest data from the German Federal Statistical Office and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
In a statement on Monday, June 1, the Federal Office considered that the new figures reflect a clear shift in the map of arrivals, with a significant decrease in net migration and protection applications from major nationalities, led by Syrians.
Record drop in Syrian asylum applications
German data showed that net migration from Syrians declined by 67% during 2025, the largest decline recorded by this category in more than a decade, pointing to the initial asylum applications in Germany falling by 51% to reach only 113,236 applications, which is the lowest level since 2013 excluding the Corona pandemic period , and the decline continued in the first quarter of 2026 by nearly 38%, with only 22,491 applications registered.
The sharp decline in the number of Syrians was accompanied by a similar decline in other nationalities, including Afghans by 41% and Ukrainians by 21%, which led to a change in the ranking of the nationalities most applying for asylum within Germany.
Tightening Boundaries and Laws Behind the Retreat
In addition to the decline in asylum applications, Germany recorded a significant drop in total net migration by 45% to reach only about 235,000 people, after total arrivals fell to 1.48 million, a decline of 13%.
The German Federal Statistical Office attributed the decline to a range of government measures, most notably tighter border controls, the direct return of more than 35,000 people, the suspension of family reunification, the activation of immediate refusals under the Dublin Convention, and a 20 percent increase in forced deportations.
He pointed out that the study of raising incentives for the voluntary return of refugees, including the proposal to grant 8,000 euros to returnees of some nationalities such as Syrians, had a great impact on changing the scales and percentages of Syrian asylum applications, considering that Germany seems to have entered a new phase of migration policies, the most prominent of which is: a historic decline in Syrian asylum and a radical shift in migration flows to the country.
Deportation Centers Outside Europe for Rejected Applications
Cyprus, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, announced that representatives of the European Parliament and the governments of member states reached an agreement on Monday (June 1) that would allow asylum seekers whose applications have been rejected and cannot be returned to their countries of origin to "return centres" outside the EU.
A statement issued by the European Parliament said that under the agreement, rejected asylum seekers, who cannot be returned to their countries of origin, can be transferred to "return centres" outside the EU, indicating that this measure will be applied in cases where the migrant's country of origin refuses to receive him, or in the absence of diplomatic relations between an EU member state and the country concerned.
The statement explained that so far, the location of these centers has not been determined, while Brussels stresses that the goal is to raise the deportation rates, which currently do not exceed 29% of migrants without residency.
Under the new rules, unaccompanied minors will be exempt from deportation to these centers, while families with children can be transferred, the statement stressed.
European move to tighten immigration controls
Home Affairs Commissioner Magnus Brunner said the deal was "an important step to ensure control over who enters the EU and who should leave", noting that the next phase will include strengthening migration diplomacy with countries outside the bloc, without specifying which country is a candidate to host such centres.
European parliamentary sources confirmed that this agreement is still in principle and needs official approval from the European Parliament and member states before it enters into force, amid a wide debate about its legal and humanitarian repercussions within Europe.
The sources downplayed the possibility that it would not be approved, although there are dozens of rights groups within Europe that strongly oppose the transfer of migrants to third countries.
With this agreement, the EU appears to be moving towards a comprehensive reformulation of migration policy, by shifting part of the responsibility for dealing with migrants beyond its borders, a move that could change the shape of migration management in Europe in the coming years.
European Parliament approves tightening asylum policy
Yesterday's agreement comes based on the European Parliament's approval, in the session of December 17, 2025, of two new legislative texts, described by experts at the time, constitute one of the biggest shifts in migration policy within the EU, with a focus on the deportation of asylum seekers to third countries and the preparation of an expanded list of "safe" countries that accelerate the procedures for rejecting the applications of their citizens.
Deportation of asylum seekers to countries outside the EU
The first text, which was approved by parliament, opens the door to the transfer of rejected asylum seekers to third countries, even if they have no direct connection to them. The move comes as the bloc seeks to ease pressure on European asylum systems and speed up deportations.
The move is part of a new approach adopted by some European countries, led by Italy, which is seeking to set up asylum processing centres outside the bloc's borders, with MP Damien Karim describing the move as a "gift to Giorgia Meloni", referring to the Rome project to send asylum seekers to Albania, which faces legal challenges.
Rights groups have strongly criticised the approach, warning that asylum seekers could be subjected to mistreatment in countries that do not have adequate protection systems. But the European Commission has responded that any country receiving deportees will be obliged to respect basic rights.
List of "safe" countries to expedite refusal and deportation
The second text, approved by the European Parliament, provides for the preparation of an official list of safe countries, countries whose citizens are presumed to be at risk of being granted asylum. The list includes: Kosovo , Bangladesh, Colombia, Egypt, India, Morocco and Tunisia.
The European Parliament said at the time that the inclusion of these countries would speed up the processing of asylum claims from their citizens, reduce the chances of their admission, and facilitate deportations.