Last year, for the first time since 2021, Germany experienced net positive migration from the United States – meaning more people came to Germany from the US than the other way around. After years of losing thousands of residents to the US each year, the trend flipped in 2025, according to figures shared by Germany’s Federal Statistics Office (Destatis). This represents a significant shift in migration trends between the two countries, and it comes as more and more Americans appear to be seeking paths to
settle outside of the US and in other European countries. Big picture figures Overall, 23,804 people arrived in Germany from the US in 2025, according to Destatis figures. At the same time 21,998 people left Germany to move to the US. In total this leaves Germany with a net gain of 1,806 people. That’s not a very large surplus of immigrants, but it does represent a shift compared to previous years where Germany consistently saw thousands more moving the other way instead. In 2024, more
people had moved from Germany to the US, resulting in a net loss of approximately 4,071 people. In 2023, Germany’s net loss to the US was 3,468 and in 2022 it was 4,547. A press release published by Destatis in November of last year noted that the number of departures to the US was down 17.8 percent from January to September of 2025 compared to the previous year. Departures had been consistently lower for each respective month. Are more US citizens coming to Germany? The
figures above represent total immigration / emigration figures between Germany and the US. The Local contacted Destatis to ask specifically about the number of US citizens that had moved to or from Germany in recent years. Destatis shared month by month figures dating back to 2022, and including preliminary figures for 2025. When these monthly figures are added up, the annual figures are as follows: 2022: 15,518 arrivals, 12,266 departures, 3,252 net total 2023: 14,890 arrivals, 11,856 departures, 3,034 net total 2024: 14,600 arrivals, 11,896
departures, 2,704 net total 2025: 14,991 arrivals, 11,227 departures, 3,764 net total This data reveals that the immigration of US citizens has actually been stable and consistently net-positive for Germany over the last few years – meaning that a few thousand more US citizens came to Germany than left each year. Note that these figures do not include US military personnel or their direct families, who are not required to register their residence in Germany. READ ALSO: Who would really be affected by the removal
of US troops from Germany? Interestingly, the number of US citizens arriving in Germany spiked each year around August and September, whereas departures from Germany consistently spiked in July and December. This appears to correlate with Germany’s academic calendar, with a large number of US students arriving in late summer/early autumn ahead of the coming school year. Departures in July or December also appear to be aligned with the end of the spring/summer or fall/winter terms. READ ALSO: How to apply for a Master’s in
Germany as an international student Notable shift, but not an exodus Following President Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 US presidential election, there was some speculation that certain groups of Americans – especially those opposed to him or threatened by his policies – would seek to leave the country and relocate, potentially flocking to countries in Europe. Now, roughly a year and a half into Trump’s second term, immigration data suggests there has been a notable shift in immigration to and from the US. Last
year more people left the US than arrived there: something that had not previously occurred since the Great Depression, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. But this shift has not amounted to anything close to a widespread exodus from the US to Germany. Instead, the number of US citizens moving to Germany has so far remained relatively steady, while the total number of people moving from Germany to the US has dropped. READ ALSO: Why do some US citizens seek asylum in
Germany? Some other European countries do appear to be receiving more and more Americans in recent years. Spain has become the top destination in the EU for Americans, granting a record 15,638 first-time residence permits in 2024. France saw a sharp 14.3 percent year-on-year increase in 2025, issuing 15,000 first-time residency permits to Americans last year. Meanwhile in Italy, the country’s resident American population had grown by 6.7 percent in a single year, as of the start of 2025. Anecdotally, some readers of The Local
have told us that Trump and his administration’s policies were part of their decision to move to Germany, as well as to Spain, France and Italy. But there are also other pull factors involved that may be luring Americans into different countries in Europe. France, Spain and Italy have all recently introduced ‘digital nomad visas’ which has opened up a path for Americans with remote jobs to settle in those countries. Germany does not have a digital-nomad visa, which may explain in-part why it has
not seen a spike in incoming Americans compared with its European neighbours to the south.
Germany migration United States 2025 Destatis net gain US citizens arrivals departures academic calendar digital nomad visas Spain France Italy