Every fourth person living in Germany has either moved there from abroad or been born to parents who are both immigrants. The new statistics are a modest increase on the 2024 figures.
More than a quarter of people in Germany have an "'immigration history," according to new official data.
The Federal Statistical Office of Germany (known as Destatis in German) said 21.8 million people — 26.3 percent of the population — either immigrated themselves or are children of two immigrants.
What is an 'immigration history'?
The data takes into account both first- and second-generation migrants living in Germany.
About 16.4 million people, or 19.8 percent, are first-generation immigrants, having moved to the country themselves. Growth in the category slowed in 2025, rising just 1.7 percent from 2024 after much larger increases in previous years.
Another 5.4 million people (6.5 percent) are second-generation, having been born in Germany to two immigrant parents who moved to Germany since 1950.
The past two decades have seen a particularly large increase across the two categories. Since 2005, the number of people with a migration background has risen from 13 million to 21.8 million in 2025 — an increase of 8.8 million, or 67 percent, according to Destatis.
The agency's term "immigration history" does not mean the same as another it commonly uses, "migration background," which also includes second-generation immigrants who have one German parent.
Who has moved to Germany?
The largest origin groups among those deemed as having an immigration history are:
- Poland: ~1.5 million
- Turkey: ~1.5 million
- Ukraine: ~1.3 million
- Russia: ~1 million
- Syria: ~1 million
Among young immigrants aged 25 to 34, 33 percent have a university degree — similar to the overall population. However, 36 percent have no formal qualification, more than double the national average.
The data also shows clear age differences:
- 36 percent of people aged 25–34 have an immigration history
- Only 14 percent of those over 65 do
- People with an immigration history are about nine years younger overall than the national average
Edited by: Mark Hallam
Author: Richard Connor
First published: April 13, 2026
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