German Population Increased by 0.3 Million in 2023 As Net Immigration Soars

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Net immigration, the primary driver of growth, decreased significantly in 2023 but remains the highest compared to the 1991/1992 period.
• The growth rate aligns with the 2012-2021 average but is notably lower than the surge in 2022 prompted by the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
• Net immigration in 2023 is projected to be between 680,000 and 710,000, indicating a rise compared to previous years, while the highest figures on record are those of 2015 and 2022.

German population has reached 84.7 million in 2023, which is 0.3 million more than in the previous year, while net immigration during this year dropped significantly.

Based on the initial estimate from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), the population growth rate aligns with the average observed from 2012 to 2021, but it is significantly lower than the 2022 figures, as the Russian war in Ukraine prompted a surge in net immigration to Germany.

In 2022, the population surged by 1.1 million, primarily due to significant immigration from Ukraine. In 2023, net immigration, representing the balance between arrivals and departures, remained the sole driver of population growth. Similar to every year since German unification, the balance of births and deaths was negative, with more deaths than births occurring in 2023. 

Federal Statistical Office (Destatis)

In the years between 1990 and 2023, the German population growth rates ranged between 79.15 million and 84.7 million, also revealing that it hit an all-time high record, whereas net immigration is estimated to be between 680,000 and 710,000.

Birth Deficit in Germany Persists for Decades Now

Despite a birth deficit of at least 320,000, which is roughly maintaining the previous year’s level, the number of births in 2023 decreased by nearly seven per cent compared to the previous year, while deaths decreased by around four per cent.

Based on available reports from registry offices, an estimated 680,000 to 700,000 births are expected for 2023, compared to 738,819 in 2022, representing a five per cent decrease. In addition, deaths are estimated to be at least 1.02 million, slightly less than in 2022, when 1.07 million were recorded.

Net Immigration to Germany Is On the Rise As It Is Expected to Surpass 700,000

Regarding migration, net immigration in 2023 is estimated to be between 680,000 and 710,000 people. While this represents a soaring number, it is significantly lower than the exceptionally high levels recorded in 2015, when 1.14 million people came to Germany.

The 2022 levels were even higher, with the war in Ukraine as well as other conflicts of the same nature causing 1.46 million foreign nationals to immigrate to Germany.

However, in the broader historical context, this level of net immigration is considered high, comparable to the years 1991 (603,000) and 1992 (782,000), marked by the influx of late repatriates from the former Soviet Union and war refugees from the former Yugoslavia.