Speaking to Bild’s Thursday edition (5 March), EU Commissioner for Migration Magnus Brunner downplayed fears that intensifying conflict in Iran would trigger a new refugee wave towards Europe and Germany. Brunner said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan assured him during a phone call that Ankara has “closed its borders towards Iran,” maintaining the 2022 co-operation framework on migration control.
The Commissioner highlighted a separate visit to Senegal this week, where the EU handed over patrol boats under a new asylum pact—part of Brussels’ strategy to curb irregular Mediterranean crossings. “Illegal migration from Senegal is down over 60 percent,” he claimed.
![EU migration chief: no imminent refugee surge towards Germany despite Iran escalation]()
For organisations and travellers who may still need to arrange German visas in this changing environment, the online platform VisaHQ can streamline the process. Its dedicated Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers up-to-date requirements, digital application tools and document-checking services, making it easier for HR teams and individuals alike to stay compliant and on schedule.
For Berlin, Brunner’s statements ease immediate pressure on reception capacity. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees processed roughly 113,000 first-time asylum claims in 2025, down 19 % year-on-year, but municipal shelters in North-Rhine Westphalia and Bavaria report occupancy above 85 %. A sudden Iran-linked influx could have forced emergency procurement of container housing before next winter.
Nonetheless, NGOs caution that the picture could change rapidly if Iranian routes shift through Pakistan and the Balkans. Companies moving staff to Germany should therefore continue to monitor BAMF processing times and secure accommodation blocks early—especially in Munich and Frankfurt, where vacancy rates hover below 2 %. Mobility teams should also track any extension of Germany’s temporary border checks beyond September in case route diversions materialise.
The Commissioner highlighted a separate visit to Senegal this week, where the EU handed over patrol boats under a new asylum pact—part of Brussels’ strategy to curb irregular Mediterranean crossings. “Illegal migration from Senegal is down over 60 percent,” he claimed.
For organisations and travellers who may still need to arrange German visas in this changing environment, the online platform VisaHQ can streamline the process. Its dedicated Germany page (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) offers up-to-date requirements, digital application tools and document-checking services, making it easier for HR teams and individuals alike to stay compliant and on schedule.
For Berlin, Brunner’s statements ease immediate pressure on reception capacity. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees processed roughly 113,000 first-time asylum claims in 2025, down 19 % year-on-year, but municipal shelters in North-Rhine Westphalia and Bavaria report occupancy above 85 %. A sudden Iran-linked influx could have forced emergency procurement of container housing before next winter.
Nonetheless, NGOs caution that the picture could change rapidly if Iranian routes shift through Pakistan and the Balkans. Companies moving staff to Germany should therefore continue to monitor BAMF processing times and secure accommodation blocks early—especially in Munich and Frankfurt, where vacancy rates hover below 2 %. Mobility teams should also track any extension of Germany’s temporary border checks beyond September in case route diversions materialise.
