Number of asylum seekers in Saxony has halved

The number of asylum seekers in Saxony continues to fall and has almost halved in the first eleven months of this year compared to the previous year. According to the State Directorate of Saxony (LDS), 4,824 people sought asylum in the Free State by the end of November. At the same time in 2024, there were 9,447. 22,263 refugees arrived in the same period last year.

The highest number of asylum seekers this year came from Venezuela, followed by Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Turkey. In the case of Venezuela, Saxony has sole responsibility for asylum seekers nationwide.

The trend becomes even clearer when looking at the past ten years. At the height of the refugee crisis in 2015, around 69,900 people landed in Saxony. In 2016, 14,860 asylum seekers arrived, after which the numbers fell sharply. In 2020, there were only 4,463 refugees due to coronavirus. From 2021, arrivals rose again to more than 20,000.

People from Ukraine not included in the statistics

People from Ukraine are not included in these statistics. The authorities registered a sharp increase in their numbers. From January to November, 5,342 of them were registered in reception facilities in the state - 3,659 more than at the same time in 2024. According to the LDS, this concerns people who registered with state facilities. Some were also registered directly in the districts or municipalities. There was a particularly strong influx from September onwards. This is due in particular to Ukraine's relaxed exit regulations. Unlike before, men between 18 and 22 are now allowed to leave the country.

For comparison: in 2022 - the first year of the Russian war of aggression - 64,188 people came to Saxony from Ukraine. In the following year, the figure was 17,187 and in the first eleven months of 2024 it was 8,177.

Number of voluntary departures increased sharply

847 rejected asylum seekers were deported by the end of November (same period last year: 872). The slight decrease in deportations contrasts with an almost doubling of voluntary departures. 1,509 people left Germany voluntarily from Saxony, compared to 861 in the first eleven months of 2024.

"The renewed increase in the number of voluntary departures, both on one's own responsibility and accompanied, proves that the mere existence of a state departure center or the announcement of a transfer there has an effect on those affected," commented Interior Minister Armin Schuster (CDU) on the figures.

Schuster expects deportations to Afghanistan and Syria

The very good and intensive return counseling provided by the experts in the LDS and the immigration authorities would contribute significantly to the fact that voluntary departure is increasingly "the most acceptable form of return for all parties involved", Schuster told the German Press Agency. "In future, we also expect return options to Syria and Afghanistan and will evaluate the experiences with the facility this year to improve further operations."

According to the state directorate, there were a total of 24,537 people "with asylum status" living in Saxony as at 30 November. This refers to people for whom proceedings are still ongoing and rejected asylum seekers who are obliged to leave the country. The latter point applies to 12,483 people. Of these, 10,614 had a tolerated stay - their deportation is prevented by legal or other reasons.