Fewer and fewer people from Bosnia and Herzegovina are deciding to move to Germany, while some of those who have lived there for years are returning to BiH.

The net number of relocations from BiH to Germany during 2025 fell to the lowest level since 2012.

According to data from the German Federal Statistical Office, 13,707 people moved from BiH to Germany during 2025, while 10,474 people moved from Germany to BiH. The difference amounted to 3,233 people, compared to 7,056 a year earlier, writes N1 BiH.

A higher salary is no longer enough

Returnees from Germany most often point out that the salary amount alone is no longer decisive. One resident of BiH who has lived in Germany for 9 years gave the example of a salary of €2,300, rent of €1,050, and kindergarten costing €280. After those 2 expenses, he has €970 left, before buying food, fuel, and other necessities.

Another returnee claims that in BiH he earns €300 less than in Germany, but due to significantly lower costs, he has more money left at the end of the month. Still, these are individual experiences from the internet, not representative research.

The German labor market is slowing down

The decisions of BiH citizens are also influenced by the weaker German economy. In the 1st quarter of 2026, Germany had 486,000 fewer employed people than at the end of 2025, but that figure is not adjusted for seasonal changes.

When seasonal effects are removed, the number of employed people decreased by 61,000. Compared with the 1st quarter of 2025, Germany had 157,000 fewer employed people, according to Destatis data.

The return to BiH is also visible in schools

During 2025, 221 certificates from abroad were recognized in Republika Srpska, including 210 from primary schools and 11 from secondary schools. Almost a third of the children arrived from Germany, and a fifth from Slovenia. These data do not cover the whole of BiH, but they show that some families really are returning.

Germany is still attractive to people from BiH because it offers higher salaries and a more secure system. However, high rents, a more expensive life, and family reasons are increasingly changing the calculation. For now, the figures do not show a mass return to BiH, but they clearly confirm that Germany is no longer as convincing a choice as it was a few years ago.