According to her findings, 77 per cent of all deportations carried out since 2018 occurred after 2022, making recent years the most active period for the removal of Gambian nationals from Germany.
The data shows that 41 charter deportation flights landed in The Gambia between 2018 and 2025, carrying 578 deportees. Hundreds of others were returned on commercial flights, suggesting that roughly half of all deportations were conducted through regular airlines.
Despite the increase in deportations, Gambians continue to maintain a sizeable presence in Germany. Dr Altrogge said 16,625 Gambians lived in Germany in 2025.
She noted that the Gambian population in Germany more than quadrupled between 2012 and 2016 during the peak migration period and has since remained relatively stable at around 16,000 people.
While deportations have increased, she explained that new arrivals and departures have largely balanced each other, preventing significant changes in the overall size of the community.
The report also highlighted major changes in migration patterns. Asylum applications from Gambians, which peaked at 5,656 in 2016, have declined sharply in recent years. At the same time, legal migration channels have become more important.
National visas issued to Gambians by the German Embassy in Dakar nearly doubled between 2018 and 2024, rising from 183 to 327. Family reunification accounted for the largest share of these visas, allowing many Gambians already settled in Germany to bring spouses and relatives through legal pathways.
The report further revealed that legal status remains a major issue for many Gambians. In 2025, 10,280 Gambians held valid residence permits, representing 62 per cent of the community. However, 6,345 were living without residence permits.
Many of those without residence permits hold a temporary status known as "Duldung" or toleration, which suspends deportation for practical or humanitarian reasons but does not provide permanent residency.
Dr Altrogge noted that the number of Gambians under toleration status peaked at 6,580 in 2021 before declining as some secured residence permits through legal reforms and employment pathways, while others were deported.
The findings also challenge the common perception that deportees are mainly criminals. According to migration experts, deportation is primarily an administrative measure linked to immigration status rather than a criminal punishment.
The report further shows increasing integration of Gambians into the German labour market. In 2025, 9,513 Gambians were officially employed, representing 57 per cent of the Gambian population in Germany, compared to 32 per cent in 2012.
Manufacturing remains the largest employer of Gambians, followed by construction, retail, hospitality, transportation and social care services.
According to the report, deportations have increased since 2022, while the number of Gambians with residence permits and formal employment has also risen. In 2025, Germany was home to 16,625 Gambians, of whom 10,280 held residence permits and 9,513 were officially employed.
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