Germany tightens social welfare rules and extends border controls

Germany is pursuing more restrictive policies regarding both social welfare access and migration. Interior ministers are discussing stricter conditions for EU citizens to access benefits such as Bürgergeld and child benefits. The initiative aims to combat organized fraud, where individuals are allegedly moved to Germany through marginal or fictitious employment to claim social rights. Rather than a blanket reduction, officials are considering requiring a minimum period of employment before eligibility.

Simultaneously, the German government is extending border controls. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt intends to extend these checks at German borders until mid-March 2027 to curb illegal migration. However, the Ministry of the Interior has acknowledged that several court rulings have deemed the current practice of internal border controls illegal, particularly regarding the rejection of asylum seekers at borders with Austria, Luxembourg, and Poland.

Additionally, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) has seen an increase in the revocation of protection statuses. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the rate of revoked or withdrawn protection status for Syrian refugees rose to 13% in the first half of 2026, compared to 2% in 2025.