Syrians Obtaining German Citizenship Top the List: What’s Behind the Record Numbers?

In a scene that underscores their significant presence, Syrian refugees who have escaped the horrors of war in their homeland have emerged as the leading group among foreign communities obtaining German citizenship through rapid integration.

According to data from the Federal Statistical Office in Germany as of May 31, 2023, the number of Syrians acquiring German citizenship has more than doubled compared to 2021, reaching a remarkable increase in 2022.

As a result, Syrians now top the list of foreigners obtaining German citizenship, as many who arrived between 2014 and 2016 have fulfilled the required criteria.

 

The German Citizenship

The office reports that 48,300 Syrians obtained German citizenship in 2022 out of a total of 168,500 foreign individuals.

Consequently, the percentage of foreigners receiving citizenship in this country, which opened doors to refugees from various parts of the world, increased by approximately 28% in 2022 compared to 2021.

Syrians have secured the top spot in terms of naturalization, accounting for 29% of the total individuals who obtained German citizenship in 2022.

This surpasses the number of Syrians in 2021, which was 19,000, and is seven times higher than in 2020, which did not exceed 6,700 individuals.

The average age of Syrians acquiring citizenship is 24 years, with males comprising two-thirds of the total number. Prior to obtaining citizenship, they stayed in Germany for an average of 4 to 6 years.

Turkish citizens ranked second, with approximately 14,200 individuals acquiring German citizenship in 2022.

Currently, around 924,000 Syrian refugees reside in Germany, having fled their cities following the military machine of Bashar al-Assad’s regime since 2011. Among them, 40% are women, with an average age of 20, compared to 118,000 individuals at the end of 2014, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.

The mentioned office has recorded over 700,000 asylum applications from Syrians in Germany since 2015 when former Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed them during the peak of the refugee crisis at that time.

Syrians in Germany have shown readiness to integrate despite cultural and ethical differences, demonstrating strong language skills and adherence to prevailing laws.

Many Syrian refugees in Germany, who have acquired citizenship, participated in voting for the first time in the national elections held on September 26, 2021, to choose the new chancellor succeeding Angela Merkel.

German citizenship can be granted to any individual who has lived in Germany for a minimum of eight years and meets the required conditions.

For recognized refugees, this timeframe can be shortened to six years on the condition that they demonstrate proficiency in the German language, possess the ability to financially support themselves and their families, and have a clean criminal record.

 

Fulfilling the Requirements

In this context, Syrian citizen Hassan al-Salim explained that “previously, the requirements for obtaining German citizenship were challenging, necessitating an individual’s residence for 8 years, before a new decision was made to reduce the period to 6 for individuals integrated into German society, whether through vocational training or studies.”

Al-Salim, who obtained German citizenship in 2022, said to Al-Estiklal that “the German government once again facilitated the acquisition of German citizenship for those who have resided for 6 years, provided that the person has a certain level of proficiency in the German language; passing the culture test and having a preferably open work contract, as well as not receiving financial and social assistance from the government, are required.

“There is a small percentage of Syrians who obtained citizenship within 6 years, either because they graduated from universities or vocational training.”

Al-Salim emphasized that “German citizenship does not require the presence of specific advantages but rather the fulfillment of the mentioned requirements to become a full-fledged German citizen with all rights.”

He added: “Many of those who acquired German citizenship do not possess university degrees, as it is not a prerequisite. They have resided on German soil for 7 years and have integrated into the job market in an organized manner.

“There are no specific professions that facilitate obtaining German citizenship. Everyone has an equal right to obtain it, whether doctors working in hospitals, employees at Amazon, or in other professions, laboratories, and workshops. It is sufficient for a person to be a productive member in society.”

According to the annual report released in 2022 by the German Advisory Council on Integration and Migration, there is a special need for skilled workers in the healthcare and social care sectors.

By the end of 2021, approximately 5,404 Syrian doctors were practicing in Germany, forming the largest group of foreign doctors in the country, surpassing Romania, Greece, and Austria, according to the Federal Medical Association.

 

Political Rise

The shortage of skilled labor has become a real problem in Germany, as there are currently one million vacant positions in the country—which is one of the European countries that hosts the most Syrian refugees—while the generation born in the 1960s is reaching retirement age.

Due to an aging population, the labor market is expected to lose seven million people by 2035 if the government does not take any steps, according to a study conducted by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) in 2023.

In early March 2023, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz warned in parliament that relying solely on the German population will not be sufficient to compensate for the shortage, while industrialists are trying to address this challenge themselves by proposing to train foreigners.

The success of Syrians, who enjoy support and endorsement from German citizens, serves as a cumulative model over the past decades, as their peers have reached government positions there.

More than one Syrian refugee has served as a model for starting a new life away from their homeland by venturing into the world of politics in this country and assuming important and sensitive positions.

On April 3, 2023, Syrian refugee Ryyan al-Shebl won the position of mayor of Oedheim in the state of Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany, after obtaining an absolute majority (55.41% of the votes) in the elections.

Al-Shebl, from As-Suwayda, became the new mayor at the age of 29; he studied financial management and banking in Syria and arrived in Germany in 2015, quickly learning the language there.

Hassan al-Khatib, born in the city of Mayadin in 1989 and a graduate of the Faculty of Law at al-Furat University, won a seat on the municipal council in Kassel, Germany, Foreigners Department, after the results of the local elections in March 2021 were announced.

Al-Khatib obtained a master’s degree in law from the University of Gottingen, Germany, in September 2023.

At the time, al-Khatib’s electoral program focused on “working to facilitate successful integration and coexistence of foreigners in Kassel and representing their voices in the city’s local parliament.”

This political rise of Syrians who escaped the oppression of the Assad regime represents a new chapter in the book of those who preceded them, who shone in their host countries with their experiences, knowledge, and skills, ultimately assuming ministerial positions.

 

Economic Integration

It is expected that the number of Syrians obtaining citizenship will increase in the coming years, according to refugee researchers.

Syrian refugees ranked first among foreigners obtaining German citizenship in the state of Berlin in 2022, with 1,687 Syrians, surpassing Turks, who usually constituted the largest percentage of naturalized foreigners each year, according to a statement by the German Statistical Office dated May 23, 2023.

In this context, La Croix previously quoted Jan Schneider, the Director of Research at the German Advisory Council on Integration and Migration, saying that the number of eligible Syrians for naturalization in Germany has reached 449,000.

This is attributed to their successful economic integration and language acquisition, in addition to their strong motivation to obtain citizenship.

The newspaper, in a report published on August 28, 2022, predicted a significant increase in the total number of naturalizations in Germany.

Olaf Scholz’s government plans to change the law to make it possible to obtain citizenship after 5 or even 3 years for those who integrate quickly and exceptionally well.