According to the Federal Employment Agency, the majority of welfare recipients in Germany have a migration background, with most of them not holding German citizenship. The current numbers show that three states stand out in this regard, with over 70 percent of welfare recipients having a migration background in Hesse (76.4%), Baden-Württemberg (74.1%), and Hamburg (72.8%). Nationally, the percentage of welfare recipients with a migration background is now at 63.1%.
In absolute numbers, 2.48 million out of a total of 3.93 million economically active welfare recipients have a migration background, according to the official definition, which includes individuals born outside of Germany or with non-German parents. These figures are based on a survey of all welfare recipients, with 73% of respondents providing information on their migration background. The data, completed this week, refers to welfare receipt as of December 2023. The Federal Employment Agency states that, despite the lack of responses from some recipients, a reliable statement on migration background can be made for the entire population through extrapolation.
One possible weakness of the study method, as noted by researchers, is the lack of verification of information provided by respondents. Without control over the accuracy of responses, there is a potential for incorrect information to be included in the statistics. This is a common challenge in studies related to migration and the labor market, which often rely on survey results, unlike this BA study, which used a full survey approach. Over the past decade, there has been a noticeable increase in the population with a migration background, from 20% in 2013 to 26% in 2019, and now at 29%. The proportion of welfare recipients with a migration background has also risen from 43% in 2013 to 63% today.
Out of the current 2.48 million economically active welfare recipients with a migration background, the BA report states that 1.99 million have their own migration experience, 427,000 do not have personal migration experience, and 61,000 have a migration background without further details provided. Additionally, 1.83 million out of these recipients with a migration background are foreigners, while the rest hold German citizenship. The category of economically active welfare recipients includes not only unemployed individuals but also those who receive social benefits under the Social Code II due to earning below the subsistence level, either by working few hours or having an insufficient salary to support their family.
