New Year statistics released by newspaper Die Welt, citing Federal Police data, show that Germany registered 62,526 unauthorised entries in 2025, down sharply from 83,572 in 2024 and 127,549 in 2023. Officials attribute the decline primarily to the reinstatement of stationary border controls at all land crossings in September 2024 and to tougher ‘direct-back’ rules introduced in May 2025.
The figures reveal a striking December trend: only 4,600 illegal entrants were detected in the final month of 2025, compared with more than 13,000 in December 2024. Since controls were re-introduced, officers have rejected or returned more than 46,000 people at the frontier and detained almost 2,000 suspected smugglers. Over 2,500 individuals with re-entry bans were blocked outright.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser hailed the numbers as proof that “consistent enforcement works.” Human-rights groups, however, warn that vulnerable asylum seekers—including families and pregnant women—face summary refusals. The ministry says ‘direct-back’ exemptions for medical and humanitarian cases are being applied, but legal observers note that only 242 such exceptions were granted since May.
![Illegal Entries Fall 40 % After 16 Months of German Border Controls]()
From a corporate-mobility perspective the data signal that strict checks are likely to remain for the foreseeable future, reinforcing the need for compliant documentation by assignees and visiting business partners. Companies that rely on short-term project labour from neighbouring EU states should monitor waiting times at key crossings such as the A3 Passau and A17 Breitenau, where most interceptions occur.
Companies looking for an extra layer of assurance can streamline their travel planning by using specialised visa-processing services. VisaHQ, for example, tracks German entry requirements in real time—covering everything from business and skilled-worker permits to the forthcoming Opportunity Card—and can pre-screen documentation before travellers reach the border. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
The drop in irregular migration could influence ongoing debates about labour-market shortages and skilled-worker visas. Policymakers argue that tighter external control must be combined with faster legal pathways, including the new Opportunity Card job-seeker visa slated for March 2026.
The figures reveal a striking December trend: only 4,600 illegal entrants were detected in the final month of 2025, compared with more than 13,000 in December 2024. Since controls were re-introduced, officers have rejected or returned more than 46,000 people at the frontier and detained almost 2,000 suspected smugglers. Over 2,500 individuals with re-entry bans were blocked outright.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser hailed the numbers as proof that “consistent enforcement works.” Human-rights groups, however, warn that vulnerable asylum seekers—including families and pregnant women—face summary refusals. The ministry says ‘direct-back’ exemptions for medical and humanitarian cases are being applied, but legal observers note that only 242 such exceptions were granted since May.
From a corporate-mobility perspective the data signal that strict checks are likely to remain for the foreseeable future, reinforcing the need for compliant documentation by assignees and visiting business partners. Companies that rely on short-term project labour from neighbouring EU states should monitor waiting times at key crossings such as the A3 Passau and A17 Breitenau, where most interceptions occur.
Companies looking for an extra layer of assurance can streamline their travel planning by using specialised visa-processing services. VisaHQ, for example, tracks German entry requirements in real time—covering everything from business and skilled-worker permits to the forthcoming Opportunity Card—and can pre-screen documentation before travellers reach the border. More details are available at https://www.visahq.com/germany/.
The drop in irregular migration could influence ongoing debates about labour-market shortages and skilled-worker visas. Policymakers argue that tighter external control must be combined with faster legal pathways, including the new Opportunity Card job-seeker visa slated for March 2026.
