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Half of Early-Arrival Ukrainians Are Working in Germany as 2025 Entries Climb and Welfare Overhaul Stalls

City leaders caution that shifting Ukrainians to asylum benefits will burden local budgets without firm federal reimbursement.

Overview

  • A new BIB study reports a 51% employment rate by early summer 2025 among Ukrainians who arrived between February and May 2022, with integration accelerating in the third year.
  • Employment remains uneven at 50% for women and 57% for men, and researchers identify partner reunification as a key driver of work entry and longer-term stay intentions.
  • BAMF data show national monthly entries rose from 7,834 in June to 18,579 in September 2025, while Saxony recorded 1,253 registrations in September and a further 1,096 by October 27.
  • According to the Federal Employment Agency, 953,203 working‑age Ukrainians were registered in September, with 672,510 receiving Bürgergeld, including 196,000 children.
  • The coalition’s plan to move Ukrainians from Bürgergeld to asylum-seeker benefits missed the April 1 target and remains under inter-ministerial review, as CDU politicians press for tighter rules and municipalities seek guaranteed, full federal cost coverage; some officials have alleged repeat cross-border use of benefits.