Less Than 10% of Afghan Refugees Accept German Government’s Financial Incentive to Withdraw Resettlement Plans
Germany’s Interior Ministry has announced that only 62 out of 650 Afghan refugees currently in Pakistan have accepted a financial incentive to cancel their planned resettlement in Germany. The figure represents less than 10 percent, indicating limited success for the German government’s monetary incentive scheme.
The ministry stated that efforts to persuade the remaining migrants will continue, although the situation for many of them remains uncertain. Official data shows that around 1,900 Afghans who were previously approved for entry to Germany are still in Pakistan.
Many of these individuals are former employees of German forces, international organizations, or human rights and civil society activists. Following the Taliban’s return to power, they face serious threats such as arrest and persecution. Despite mounting pressure and the financial offer from the German authorities, most prefer that the resettlement process proceed as originally promised.
On November 9, a group of these refugees sent a letter to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, calling the financial incentive “unethical” and “demeaning,” while reiterating their legal right to obtain visas and asylum. Some have been stuck in Pakistan for over two years, awaiting relocation.
These refugees had previously been promised visas under four different German resettlement programs. In recent days, some have successfully challenged the German government’s visa denials in administrative courts. The failure to fulfill these commitments has raised human rights concerns over Germany’s handling of the situation—especially as ongoing delays amid Afghanistan’s volatile political and security environment could have dangerous and irreversible consequences.
