Unexpected turn could be experienced in the number of Hungarians living in Germany

In 2019, an unexpected turn could be experienced in the number of Hungarians living in Germany. According to the data of the local statistical office (Destatis), after fifteen consecutive years of increase, a slight decrease could be observed last year, showing a declining propensity of emigration. However, Germany has still more than 200,000 Hungarian residents; furthermore, an increasing number of Hungarians moved to neighbouring Austria.

As we previously reported – in 2018, the estimated number of Hungarians living in Western Europe was approximately 600,000 people, concentrated in 3 main countries: Germany and the United Kingdom were the two main host countries, followed by Austria.

Germany

Still, an interesting phenomenon could be observed concerning the number of Hungarians living in Germany. According to the database of the German statistical office (Destatis) – at the end of 2019, the number of Hungarians living in Germany was 211,735. 

Surprisingly, this amount is 625 less than a year earlier; which phenomenon has not been experienced since 2004.

According to the Hungarian news portal Portfolio – since 2013, the number of Hungarians living in Germany has gradually increased at a slower pace, and now it has reached a stagnancy, a minimal decrease. In other words, it was a direct consequence of the previous years’ trend that by 2019 the growth of the Hungarian population in Germany would stop. The majority is still between the age of 20-45 (116,330 people); followed by the age of 45-65 (56,790 people) and 30,000 Hungarian emigrants are under the age of 20; so the average age was 37 at the end of 2019.

Concerning the number of birth, the amount is still significant – after 1460 births in 2018, last year 1300 Hungarian babies were born in Germany which is much more than in the case of certain Hungarian counties.

Austria

In recent weeks, the Austrian statistical office has also updated its data on the population of 2019; according to which, at the end of the year 87,604 Hungarians were living in the country, which is almost five thousand higher than a year earlier.

Accordingly, the emigration to Austria was still significant last year. Still, overall, there is a positive trend from the Hungarian point of view as well – since 2011, there has not been experienced such a low increase.

United Kingdom

There are some conflicting statistics in the UK. According to the latest figures of the Local Statistics Office (ONS), only 88,000 Hungarians live in the country, but the actual number could be much higher, estimated to exceed 200,000 people.

Read alsoWhat is the reason for the rapid emigration in Hungary?

Consequences of the coronavirus

The real reorganisation will come as a result of the pandemic. For the time being, we can only guess about the possible economic effects of the coronavirus;

still, it seems inevitable that the continent’s economy will be in severe shock, which can also affect the demographic and migratory propensity.

However, this effect is not clear; accordingly, there are two possible scenarios:

1. Unemployment is expected to rise everywhere, and in such a situation, non-local workers may be at increased risk, as in most countries, the protection of the domestic workforce may be a priority. Additionally, the majority of Hungarians living abroad work in the most affected sectors (tourism, hospitality, services).
2. On the other hand, with the rise of unemployment in Hungary, the number of people “trying their luck” abroad can also increase, and this may even stimulate the tendency of emigration.

These are matters for the future, dependent upon such decisive factors as the economic recovery. At first, the effect of repatriation seems to be stronger; therefore, the pandemic may reinforce favourable tendencies from the Hungarian point of view.

Source: portfolio.hu