(de-news.net) – Germany deported markedly more individuals in 2025 than in preceding years, according to figures published by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and reported by Die Welt. Approximately 23,000 people were removed from the country over the course of the year, an increase of around 15 percent compared with 2024 and roughly 45 percent compared with 2023. The Federal Government interprets this development as confirmation of a broader shift in migration policy. From its perspective, the rising number of deportations reflects a deliberate strategy aimed at restoring order to the migration system through stricter enforcement practices, a reduction of perceived incentive structures, and the introduction of more consistent and effective control mechanisms.

At the same time, the Interior Ministry is formalizing a new diplomatic post dedicated specifically to migration management. Beginning this week, the diplomat Ludwig Jung assumed the newly created position of Migration Ambassador. In this role, his primary task will be to support and coordinate the return of individuals who lack a legal right of residence to countries outside the European Union. The ministry has indicated that it expects the position to contribute novel and innovative approaches to cooperation on returns with third countries. Under the previous coalition government, a comparable function existed in the form of a Special Envoy mandated to negotiate migration-related agreements on behalf of the Federal Government.

Bas pushes for secure residency for trainees

Against this backdrop, differing priorities within the governing coalition have become increasingly visible. Labor Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) has called for a more secure right of residence for young refugees during vocational training and in the period following its completion, pointing to persistent shortages of skilled labor and the resulting need for greater planning certainty on the part of employers. From her standpoint, individuals who are demonstrably integrated and have secured employment or training placements should be granted a clear and reliable long-term residence perspective. This, she argues, would help prevent deportations that risk undermining successful labor market integration. According to media reports, discussions on potential improvements to residence regulations are already underway within the coalition, prompted in part by sustained public criticism in recent months over the deportation of individuals who were in the midst of completing vocational training.