Germany’s Migration Costs Top 400 Billion Euros: Report
Report reveals Germany’s migration system has cost taxpayers over 400 billion euros since 2016, according to journalist Björn Harms.
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Germany’s migration system has cost taxpayers at least 400 billion euros since 2016, according to a report by journalist Björn Harms. The cost, which Harms calls a ‘conservative estimate,’ has exceeded a trillion euros in some calculations. The report highlights the financial burden of the mass influx of migrants from Africa and the Middle East since former Chancellor Angela Merkel opened Germany’s borders in 2015.
A Crisis Turned Into a Market
Harms, author of The Asylum Complex, claims an entire industry has emerged around the asylum system, turning a crisis into a market. Municipalities and local governments have spent billions on accommodations, while private and public companies have profited significantly. Harms stated that around three million people have entered Germany through the asylum system since 2015, and the sector continues to thrive despite economic downturns.
Costs Across Government Levels
The federal government has spent around 242 billion euros on refugee-related expenditures, much of it on housing. State governments have contributed over 100 billion euros, with municipal budgets adding further billions. Harms compiled his findings by requesting data from federal and state ministries, as well as municipal governments.
Profitable Asylum System
According to Harms, the bulk of the costs is ‘consumed’ by providing housing for asylum seekers. He found that as of March 2025, at least 4,437 taxpayer-funded accommodations housed around 295,000 people. In Hamburg, the city-owned firm ‘Fördern & Wohnen’ has seen its profits rise from €60 million in 2013 to €747 million in 2025, employing over 2,200 people.
Long-Term Financial Commitments
Despite Chancellor Merz’s promises to cut migration costs, much of the spending is locked in for years. Harms pointed to a nine-story office building in Berlin rented for €165 million to house asylum seekers until 2035, highlighting how the asylum complex continues to operate at a large scale.
Source: Breitbart
