Germany records historic levels of migration

Berlin, July 14 (IANS) Migration to Germany attained record levels in 2015, as the number of migrants grew 46 per cent year-on-year, reaching a total of 2.1 million people, according to a report released on Thursday by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany.

Meanwhile, 998,000 left the country, nine per cent more than in 2014, Efe news reported.

Net immigration to the country was 1.1 million people, making the balance of arrivals and departures the highest in history.

The high number of immigrants, according to the Federal Statistical Office, was not only due to the wave of refugees, but also to citizens coming from other European Union (EU) countries in search of work.

Syrians made up the largest migrant group, with 326,000 arrivals, followed by Romanians, with 212,000, and Poles, with 190,000.

Some 45 per cent of immigrants were citizens of other EU countries, 13 per cent from non-EU European countries, 30 per cent from Asia and five per cent from Africa.