The German federal government is considering new incentives to encourage Syrian refugees to voluntarily return to their home country. The Federal Ministry of the Interior, according to Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), is currently reviewing a repatriation bonus set at 8,000 euros. This information was reported by the news magazine Focus, sourcing government circles.
Currently, returning refugees receive an average of 1,000 euros to help them start over in Syria. However, this existing stipend is associated with a high administrative burden because the exact amount must be calculated individually for every refugee. The proposed 8,000 euro bonus, conversely, would be a lump sum payment.
Given the relatively small number of Syrian returns so far, calls for greater incentives have recently increased. Hans-Eckhard Sommer, the head of the Federal Agency for Migration and Refugees (Bamf), recently told Spiegel that he believes the current bonus is insufficient. He suggested that the government should discuss the amount in greater detail.
Daniel Thym, a legal expert in asylum law from Constance, views more attractive repatriation bonuses as a “meaningful component”. However, he cautions that “money alone is no panacea”. The migration law expert advocated for a blend of “carrot and stick”. Beyond financial incentives, he argued that there must also be deterrents, such as ongoing revocation procedures for protection status and the threat of initial deportation flights.
Roman Poseck, the Interior Minister for Hesse (CDU), deems it appropriate to consider stronger financial incentives for a voluntary return to Syria. He suggested that if more Syrians could be moved to leave voluntarily, this could even be economically sensible. According to Focus, “even higher support payments in the thousands, or in some cases even in the lower five-figure range, would often still be a gain for the state when measured against the long-term costs of social benefits”. The goal, he stated, must be to facilitate an orderly restart in the country of origin for individuals required to leave who have no prospect of staying, while simultaneously relieving the social state. Furthermore, Poseck emphasized that voluntary return only operates sustainably if those obliged to leave know that they will face consistent deportations otherwise.
In contrast, strong criticism of the plan comes from the opposition. Max Lucks, a Green party politician, told Focus that speculation regarding increased repatriation bonuses for Syria is completely adventurous, especially while Islamists still dominate the country and the Bamf largely ignores the poor situation there. He argued that instead of wasting more tax money on ideology-driven policies, the federal government should be focusing on cutting integration benefits.
In Germany, over 900,000 Syrians currently live without a German passport, and more than 500,000 hold temporary residence permits based on subsidiary protection or refugee status. As Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) stated last November, with the fall of the long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, there are “no grounds left for asylum in Germany”.
