Chaos in immigration data: The government has no idea where thousands of unskilled migrants are going.
Germany has lost track of thousands of unqualified temporary workers who were allowed into the country, with no official system to record whether they actually arrived, worked, or left after their visas expired.
Since 2024, Germany’s federal government has permitted up to 25,000 unqualified workers from outside the EU to enter each year under a short‑term employment scheme. These migrants can work for up to eight months in sectors such as hospitality, logistics, and agriculture.
However, federal authorities — including the Bundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency), the Auswärtiges Amt (Foreign Office), and the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (Federal Office for Migration and Refugees) — do not systematically track whether these workers actually arrive, where they are employed or whether they return home after their visas expire.
Research shows that of the roughly 14,963 employment approvals granted in 2025, only about 7,650 national visas were issued. Authorities also do not record departures, leaving a significant gap in migration oversight. As a result, many temporary migrants effectively disappear from official records once their employment ends.
The lack of controls has enabled some temporary visa holders to apply for asylum after arriving in Germany, extending their stay without proper documentation. Officials admit that data on exits is not collected unless individuals file asylum claims at an entry point.
Critics say the absence of a reliable tracking system undermines migration policy and raises questions about the effectiveness of labour migration programmes, especially as Germany continues to grapple with broader migration and integration challenges.