Interior ministers from Germany’s 16 federal states will discuss the future of Syrian migrants living in the country during a conference scheduled to take place in Hamburg on Wednesday, June 17.
According to the German magazine “Focus,” states led by the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, along with states governed by the Social Democratic Party, submitted proposals concerning the Syrian file.
Lower Saxony, representing the states led by the Social Democratic Party, submitted a draft resolution affirming that many Syrians in Germany are sustainably integrated, whether through work, study, vocational training, or community participation.
The draft noted that most working Syrians are employed in vital sectors, while around half of them are classified as skilled workers.
Lower Saxony Interior Minister Daniela Behrens said Syrians contribute effectively to Germany’s economic stability.
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt is calling for the legal framework governing residence for this group to be developed in a way that provides legal certainty and a reliable opportunity to remain in Germany. He is also calling on the Federal Interior Ministry to submit legislative solutions to regulate the right of residence by next fall.
The draft also calls for improving the chances of remaining in Germany for Syrian citizens who currently have temporary tolerated status and are well integrated into German society.
The German magazine said around 10,000 Syrians live in Germany under this temporary status, which is granted to people who cannot be deported despite not meeting asylum requirements, for various reasons, such as serious illness or lack of documents needed for deportation.
Decisions to Revoke Protection Granted to Some Syrians
For states led by the Christian Democratic Union, known as “Category B states,” the Interior Ministry in Hesse placed the residence status of Syrian citizens on the conference agenda.
The ministry, headed by Roman Poseck, pointed to a change in the approach of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees toward Syrian asylum applications, explaining that out of 25,923 asylum applications submitted by Syrians in 2025, only 532 were approved.
The Hesse Interior Ministry expects the coming period to see decisions revoking protection granted to several Syrians, which could lead to demands that they leave Germany.
Hesse Interior Minister Roman Poseck told “Focus” that after the end of the “civil war,” it is important to reassess the situation in Syria, noting that regular deportations to Syria should resume in the long term.
He also welcomed the talks held between the Federal Interior Minister and the Syrian government.
Poseck stressed that anyone required to leave the country must leave, noting that this also applies to people who received temporary protection because of wartime conditions, and that the asylum system is not an immigration system.
More than 500,000 Syrians in Germany currently hold temporary humanitarian residence permits, whether under subsidiary protection or the Geneva Refugee Convention, according to the magazine.
In addition to calling for the deportation of people convicted of crimes, Poseck demanded the return of Syrians who have not integrated well into society and who rely on social assistance for long periods, arguing that this would ease pressure on the welfare system.
After the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime on December 8, 2024, the number of returnees from Germany remains limited. According to a survey conducted by “Focus” across Germany’s 16 federal states, only 10,009 Syrians have left Germany so far, while more than 900,000 Syrians who do not hold German passports still reside in the country.
In this context, the German government is studying new incentives to encourage Syrian refugees to return voluntarily to Syria, with a bonus of up to 8,000 euros.
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