InfoMigrants

A decade after the 2015 refugee arrivals, most have found jobs in Germany and are close to the overall employment level of the population. However, men are far more likely to be employed than women, who continue to face significant barriers to work.

More than a million refugees arrived in Germany between 2015 and 2016. On August 31, 2015, Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed the challenges of accommodation, integration into work, schools, and society, concluding with her now-famous line: "Wir schaffen das" ("We can do it"). Ten years later, a study by the German Institute for Employment Research (IAB) shows significant progress in integration, though major challenges remain.

Employment

The labor market integration of refugees advanced faster than in earlier periods of displacement, such as during the Balkan wars. According to the recent IAB study, around 64 percent of refugees who arrived in 2015 were employed by the end of 2024, compared to 70 percent in the general population. Roughly 90 percent of them held jobs subject to social insurance contributions, and most worked full-time. Herbert Brücker, head of research at IAB, noted that this fast pace of integration "is by no means self-evident given the initially unfavorable starting conditions."

A man working in a restaurant kitchen in Germany | Photo: picture-alliance

However, the IAB highlights that gender disparities remain stark: 76 percent of men are employed, compared to only 35 percent of women. The study identifies childcare burdens, lower educational attainment, and limited access to language courses as key obstacles.

IAB researcher Yuliya Kosyakova noted: "The labor market integration of refugees who arrived since 2015 is progressing somewhat faster than in previous flight movements. Seven years after arrival, 63 percent were employed -- a clear integration success that reflects the combined efforts of government, employers, and the refugees themselves. At the same time, women’s participation remains significantly lower, with long-term potential still untapped."

Earnings among refugees have risen steadily, though they remain below average. Median monthly wages for full-time refugee workers increased from 1,398 euros in 2016 to 2,675 euros in 2023 -- about 71 percent of the national median and just above the low-wage threshold. Welfare dependence has declined: only 34 percent of working-age refugees from 2015 still relied on benefits in 2023, compared with nearly all in the early years.

Education

Schools absorbed about 250,000 refugee pupils within two years of 2015. The rapid intake was unprecedented and often managed through separate "welcome classes" with additional German language support. While these were initially helpful, critics argued they slowed integration. Later reforms placed more children in mainstream classrooms with targeted German support.

Refugees at an art school in Germany | Photo: Picture-alliance/dpa/S.Willnow

According to the study, challenges persist. Many refugee students entered grades below their age level, particularly older pupils, and were more likely to leave school without qualifications. Interrupted schooling while fleeing and poor learning environments in communal housing added to difficulties. Still, surveys found "high life satisfaction" among refugee children and steady improvement in language skills, though advanced literacy remains a barrier.

Housing

Housing remains one of the most persistent problems. Refugees were initially distributed nationwide under the so-called "Königsteiner key" quota system and placed in reception centers or collective accommodation. Although intended as temporary, many lived in such facilities for years. In 2019, a BAMF analysis found that about a quarter of recognized refugees were still living in communal housing. A follow-up survey commissioned by the Mediendienst Integration estimated that in 2023, a similar share of the 2015 arrivals -- around 25 percent -- remained in such accommodation.

A shortage of affordable housing, as well as discrimination in the rental market, has slowed moves into private apartments. Legal residence restrictions introduced in 2016 also limited mobility, making labor market integration more difficult. By contrast, the IAB report notes, Ukrainian refugees arriving after 2022 were allowed to choose their place of residence freely, and most quickly found private housing.

Resettlement programs

While many of those who arrived in 2015 have gradually integrated into work, schools and communities, Germany’s current approach to admitting new refugees looks very different. Today, the country's participation in EU resettlement schemes has slowed sharply. Fewer than 1,000 refugees -- mostly Syrians, Sudanese, South Sudanese, Congolese, and Eritreans -- have been admitted through the EU program so far this year. The new coalition government, which took office in May, has suspended further resettlements as part of its pledge to wind down voluntary humanitarian admission programs.

A resettlement flight bringing refugees to Germany lands in Hanover from Cairo, April 24, 2025 | Photo: picture-alliance

In total, Germany had promised 13,100 placements for 2024 and 2025 but has so far admitted just 3,221 people, falling short by nearly 10,000. Left Party MP Desiree Becker criticized the freeze, arguing that while irregular border crossings are debated, "safe routes into the country are deliberately being shut."

Assessment

Overall, according to the IAB study, Germany has achieved substantial progress in integrating refugees into work and education in the past 10 years. Employment rates among the 2015 arrivals are now close to the national average, and schools and municipalities have adapted to absorb large numbers of children. But persistent inequalities remain: women participate far less in the labor market, many families still struggle with housing, and refugee students continue to face educational disadvantages.

While the research underscores that integration is possible -- the IAB study also highlights that it depends on swift asylum procedures, access to language and vocational training, childcare, and freedom of residence. As Kosyakova and other experts conclude, the key challenge is sustaining these conditions so that participation becomes long-term and inclusive.

With dpa