More than 200,000 people live abroad and work in Germany. In 2024, around 202,700 employees subject to social security contributions commuted to Germany from one of the nine neighbouring countries to work. This figure has more than doubled since 2011.
A long growth trend, the first dip
A look at the time series clearly illustrates this trend. In 2011, well under 100,000 workers were commuting to Germany. Since then, the figure has risen steadily, with a brief interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Growth was particularly strong among commuters from Poland, whilst the figures from France declined over the same period. In 2024, the figures fell for the first time since the pandemic, by around 1,100 people or 0.5 per cent compared with 2023. The BBSR cites the tightened border controls introduced in October 2023 and the weak economic situation in the manufacturing sector as possible causes.
Where they come from and where they go
By far the largest group comes from Poland. In 2024, 97,900 Polish cross-border commuters worked in Germany, accounting for just under half of all inbound commuters. France follows in second place with 41,300 workers, and the Czech Republic in third place with 39,400 people. Together, these three countries account for around 88 per cent of all cross-border commuters to Germany.
Cross-border commuting is not a widespread phenomenon, but rather a regional one. The map shows a high concentration around Saarbrücken, where commuters from France and Luxembourg are concentrated, as well as along the entire border with Poland and the Czech Republic. In the south, smaller but noticeable clusters from Austria and Switzerland can be seen. In districts immediately adjacent to the border, commuters from abroad account for up to 10 per cent of all employees subject to social security contributions.
Wages, logistics and freedom of movement
The sustained growth has structural causes. Wage differences between Germany and, above all, its eastern neighbouring countries have created strong incentives over decades. The EU’s freedom of movement and improved transport links have made crossing the border feasible for many people for the first time. On the demand side, a clear sectoral pattern emerges. Two-thirds of all cross-border commuters work in just three sectors: manufacturing, transport and logistics, and other business services. The transport sector, in particular, has grown significantly. Its share rose from 6 per cent in 2011 to 22 per cent in 2024.
What the future might hold
As long as differences in wages and the cost of living between Germany and its neighbouring countries persist, the long-term trend is likely to continue despite the decline in 2024. At the same time, the growing prevalence of working from home raises new questions: those who need to go into the office less often also need to commute less often. Whether this will put the brakes on cross-border employment or give rise to new forms of location-independent work across national borders remains one of the open questions for the coming years.
