The United States has recently seen a decrease in its popularity as a destination for German expatriates. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), only about 8,900 Germans moved to the U.S. in 2025. Excluding the years 2020 and 2021, which were characterized by travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this figure represented the lowest level of German emigration to the United States in the past two decades. In 2005, nearly 13,600 Germans had relocated there. Consequently, the 2025 figure was over a third (35 percent) less than that recorded in 2005.
Despite this decline, the United States remained one of the most frequently chosen destination countries for Germans last year, although more Germans emigrated to neighboring countries, including Switzerland (22,700), Austria (13,500), and Spain (9,700).
A similar trend is visible concerning Canada, the second host country for the World Cup. In 2025, about 1,800 Germans moved to the country, a figure lower than during the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021. Compared to 2005, German emigration to Canada has dropped by 39 percent, when nearly 3,000 Germans had settled there. Conversely, Mexico, the third host nation, appears to be growing in popularity among Germans. In 2025, roughly 800 Germans moved to Mexico, compared to just under 600 two decades earlier, marking a 43 percent increase.
Overall, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 519,200 Germans resided in the United States in 2024. Similarly, the 2021 Census indicated around 126,500 Germans in Canada, while the 2020 census in Mexico reported approximately 7,600.
