Germany Increase in number of people with foreign roots.

Fall in foreigners' numbers made up by rise in Germans with migrant background

According to the statistical office in Wiesbaden in 2010 there were 15.7 million people with an immigration background living in Germany. In comparison to 2005 this was an increase of 600,000. As in former years the mix in the group of those with foreign roots remained roughly the same with two thirds having directly immigrated and one-third being born in Germany, but the number in the latter group had increased by 1%, to 5,155,000.

The statistical office pointed out that those with an immigration background were substantially younger than those without (35% compared to 47.9%), were more likely to be single (45.7% compared to 38.5%) and the percentage of men in this group was higher (50.3%) compared to those in the rest of the population who did not have an immigration background (48.7%).

Educational and qualification deficits

In light of the ever-present debate on education and qualifications for the job market, according to the data provided by the office, people with an immigrant background had deficits in comparison to those without such a background. 15.3% of them had no school qualifications, while in the general population only 2% had no school leaving certificate. 45% of those with an immigrant background had no training or professional qualification, but over 80% of those without an immigration background did have such qualifications.