Bavaria still a choice destination for immigrants

According to data from the Landesamt für Statistik und Innenministerium (State Office of Statistics and Ministry of the Interior), there were 1.13 million foreign citizens living in the Free State in 2011. With a rate of 9.0%, Bavaria ranks far behind Hesse, Baden-Wurttemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia (without the city states Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen). Although 476,659 are citizens of an EU state, the largest single groups come from Turkey (211,000) and states of the former Yugoslavia (187,000).

In 2011 the immigration from EU states, especially from eastern and southern Europe increased strongly. For example, from Poland there were 22,964 (2010: 13,191) and Romania 21,287 (15,620). The people from Hungary increased dramatically to 15,201 (10,569) and the Bavarians even welcomed 7,862 from Bulgaria (5,311). There was also a significant increase in immigration from Greece, which was partially due to the financial crisis. The number doubled to 6,790 compared to the 3,204 Greeks who lived in Bavaria in 2011. Additionally, immigration from Spain was 3,302 (2,183), and Italy had 6,384 newcomers to Bavaria (in 2010 it was 5,009) went up strong.

Turkey is an entirely different situation. Although immigration went up slightly, more persons emigrated from Bavaria to Turkey, but that number might be misleading as many Germans of Turkish origin have been moving back across the Bosphorus. In this case, there are roughly 400 Bavarians moving to Turkey. Lastly, Minister Herrmann pointed out that there are more Americans moving here than vice versa. To be clear, that number could once again include Bavarians who lived for years in The United States and have decided to come home.