Ukrainians living in Germany earn monthly salaries on par with refugees from Somalia, Syria, and Afghanistan, according to official labor data published by the German newspaper Bild.
The statistical comparison revealed that while Ukrainian migrants remain among the lowest earners in the nation, foreign workers from Belarus achieve median earnings that surpass the average wages of native German workers.
Bild reported that migrants from Somalia receive the lowest median monthly salary in Germany at 2,798 euros. Workers from Iraq follow at 2,804 euros per month, with migrants from Afghanistan earning 2,817 euros, those from Syria receiving 2,822 euros, and Ukrainians earning 2,825 euros monthly.
All five migrant populations earn more than 1,500 euros below the median salary of native German employees, highlighting a significant wage gap among different national groups residing in the country.
Foreign worker earnings in Germany
According to figures from the Federal Employment Agency covering the 2025 calendar year, full-time German employees earn an average of 4,396 euros per month. That figure places native German workers sixth overall among national demographics in the country, behind specialized workers from five foreign nations.
Full-time specialists from India lead all national groups in Germany with an average monthly income of 5,445 euros. Workers from Taiwan rank second at 5,395 euros, followed by professionals from China at 5,065 euros, workers from Egypt at 4,563 euros, and immigrants from Belarus at 4,533 euros per month.
The Federal Employment Agency, headquartered in Nuremberg, is Germany's primary administrative body responsible for tracking employment statistics, labor market trends, and social security data across the country's 16 federal states. Bild, a major national daily newspaper based in Berlin, compiled the figures from official government registries.
Refugee policy changes in Europe
The wage data emerges as legal protections for Ukrainians undergo significant changes across the European Union, a 27-member political and economic bloc. Since August 5, the European Union no longer provides temporary protection status to military-age Ukrainians.
The decision by European Union authorities follows earlier legislative measures in Poland, a Central European nation that has served as a key entry point for displaced populations. Polish authorities previously revoked special status and government benefits for Ukrainian refugees residing within the country.
