In 2025, the migration balance between Germany and Poland was minus 17,000 people, the lowest consequence among EU countries according to Destatis. At the same time, the number of Polish citizens registered in Germany decreased by 25 000, to 839 660. The German labour marketplace clearly loses the erstwhile power to attract Poles.
The largest negative balance sheet in the European Union
The German national Statistical Office recorded in 2025 the negative balance of German migration with Poland at the level of 17 1000 people. This means that in the flows between the 2 countries more people left Germany for Poland than moved in the other direction. This was Germany's deepest negative balance in relation to any State of the European Union. Bulgaria came in second with negative 14,000.
It's part of a wider phenomenon. As shown by Defatis final data for 2025, Germany's migration balance across the EU was minus 54 000 people, compared to minus 34 000 years earlier. The balance with Poland has deteriorated from the German position by 6 1000 people.
Polish citizens in Germany are less
The second indicator strengthens the image of retreat. At the end of 2025, 839 660 Polish citizens were listed in the German Central registry of Foreigners. A year earlier there were 864 980 of them, so the number of registered Poles decreased by more than 25 thousand.
However, the decline of the registry should not be mechanically identified with the number of return to Poland. Deaths, naturalizations and corrections of records besides affect the change. Destatis himself besides reserves that trips are recorded little than arrivals, as any people do not fulfil the work to check out. Nevertheless, the direction of change remains clear.
Germany continues to attract people from outside the Union
Germany continued to have a affirmative overall migration balance in 2025. About 1.48 million people came to the country, and 1.25 million people left, giving a surplus of 235 thousand. However, it was 45 percent lower than in 2024 erstwhile it reached 430 thousand.
The difference between the outflow from EU countries and the inflow from another parts of the planet reveals a change in the German migration model. The affirmative balance was mainly created by people arriving from Asia, Europe outside the EU and Africa. Meanwhile, workers from the single marketplace are increasingly choosing different directions or returning to their countries. This is simply a painful signal to the economy, which is already facing the deficiency of hands to work. The east Lands are peculiarly affectedWhere foreigners fill in staff gaps.
The CSO shows a wider return of Poles
Polish data measurement another phenomenon, but show a akin direction. By respect of the Central Statistical Office At the end of 2025, about 1,513 million citizens were temporarily residing outside Poland for at least 12 months, almost 21 1000 little than a year earlier. In Germany, about 386 1000 people were to live in this way.
The numbers of GUS and Destatis are not contradictory. The German registry includes Polish citizens surviving in Germany according to its records. The Central Statistical Office estimates Polish residents who stay abroad for a long time. A full image of Polish emigration so requires respective sourcesnot simply adding values.
Return is simply a chance for Poland
Statistics alone do not find why people leave Germany. However, they show the end of the era in which leaving Oder was considered an apparent economical promotion. This is an crucial chance for Poland. Returners bring back the experience, qualifications and capital that our economy needs.
The State should facilitate their return through unchangeable taxes, available housing and efficient public services. If he does not do so, any leaving Germany will choose Holland, Switzerland or Scandinavia. The Polish possible for work and improvement is at stake. It is not adequate to enjoy the weakening attractiveness of Germany. We must make Poland the best place to live and rise our household again.
Source: Destatis, Central Statistical Office of Poland, Money.pl
Source: Money.
