At an upcoming Ministerial Conference for the Interior (IMK) starting in Hamburg this Wednesday, ministers from the 16 federal states will discuss the future of Syrian refugees in Germany. Both the states governed by the Union and SPD, and those led by the CDU, have submitted proposals addressing this issue.
The SPD-led states, known as the ‘A-States,’ have put forward a proposal from Lower Saxony. According to the magazine “Focus”, this document highlights that a significant portion of Syrians has been “sustainably integrated, particularly through employment, school or vocational qualifications, and societal participation.” Furthermore, a majority of Syrian workers are employed in “systemically relevant professions,” with nearly half working as skilled laborers. For Lower Saxony’s Interior Minister, Daniela Behrens (SPD), this indicates that Syrians are actively contributing to Germany’s economic stability.
In contrast, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) argues that Germany must further refine the legal framework for this group to ensure “legal certainty and a reliable prospect of remaining [in Germany].” Specifically, the federal Interior Ministry is requested to present “legislative solutions for a permanent residency arrangement” by the autumn. Additionally, better long-term prospects should be created for currently tolerated and well-integrated Syrian citizens. Currently, around 10,000 Syrians in Germany are granted tolerated status-a situation applied when an individual has no grounds for asylum, but removal is also not possible, often due to serious health issues or lack of documentation.
The CDU-led states, or ‘B-States,’ have taken the issue of Syrian nationals’ residency status onto the IMK agenda. The Hessian Ministry for the Interior, represented by Roman Poseck, pointed to a change in decision-making practices by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The Ministry stated that out of 25,923 applications in 2025, only 532 were positively approved. The ministry also anticipates an increase in revocation decisions in the medium and long term. Such decisions would effectively dismantle protective statuses granted by the asylum authority to Syrian citizens, requiring them to leave the country.
Poseck told “Focus” that “since the end of the civil war, we must re-evaluate the situation in Syria.” He believes that Germany must resume regular deportations to Syria from a perspective of necessity. He welcomes the Federal Interior Minister’s discussions with the Syrian government, maintaining that anyone obliged to leave must do so. This principle, he stressed, “applies fundamentally even to individuals who were only granted temporary protection due to a war situation.” The Hessian Interior Minister indirectly calls for the return of hundreds of thousands of Syrians, stating that the asylum system is not meant to be an immigration system.
In addition to deporting criminals, Poseck calls for the repatriation of “individuals from Syria who are not well integrated and have been lingering in social systems for a long time.” He argues this would alleviate the burden on the welfare state, which he deems a matter of justice, given that the working population supports benefits for asylum seekers and civil stipends. Poseck also deems additional incentives and funding necessary for voluntary return to Syria. Currently, Syrian refugees receive an average of 1,000 euros for voluntary return; however, the Federal Interior Ministry is reportedly currently examining ways to expand these return programs, including a potential return grant of 8,000 euros.
Although the war in Syria ended on December 8, 2024, following the downfall of Bashar al-Assad, only a few Syrians have returned to Germany since then. A recent survey by the magazine across all 16 federal states found that only 10,009 Syrians have left the country. Meanwhile, over 900,000 Syrians reside in Germany without a German passport.
