On Tuesday, it was revealed that Germany has recorded its highest number of naturalizations since 2000. Government statistics show that 200,100 individuals gained German citizenship in 2023, with beneficiaries hailing from 157 countries and an average age of 29.3, compared to the national average of 44.
The data indicates that the majority of new citizens came from Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Romania, and Afghanistan. Specifically, 38% of those naturalized were from Syria, and men accounted for 55% of the total. A government press release noted that the significant number of Syrian naturalizations aligns with the influx of Syrian asylum seekers between 2014 and 2016.
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Turkish and Iraqi citizens were the second-largest groups, with approximately 10,700 individuals naturalized. Interestingly, there has been an increase in applications from citizens of affluent countries like Israel. Government data shows that many Israeli citizens and descendants of Nazi-era victims are seeking German citizenship. In the first four months of 2024 alone, nearly 6,900 applications were received from Israel, compared to 9,100 in all of 2023 and 5,700 in 2022.
These figures precede new, relaxed rules on German citizenship and dual citizenship, effective at the end of June. Approved in January, the changes include reducing the residency requirement for citizenship from eight to five years, or three years for those with special achievements, automatic citizenship for children born in Germany to long-term residents, oral language tests for those over 67, and the allowance of multiple citizenships.
These pro-immigration policies are part of Germany’s efforts to address its labor crisis and attract foreign talent to sustain the economy.
