In 2016, the population with a migrant background reached a new record high for the fifth time in a row. Based on results of the microcensus, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that roughly 18.6 million people in Germany had a migrant background in 2016. This was a year-on-year rise of 8.5%, which was the highest increase since recording began in 2005.

In 2014, the housing conditions of people with a migrant background differed markedly from those of people without a migrant background in Germany. Based on the microcensus, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that people with a migrant background lived in their own home much less often (34.5%) than people without a migrant background (54.8%).

The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that a good 10.0 million people holding only foreign citizenship were registered in the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR) at the end of 2016. This is the highest number of foreigners ever recorded in Germany since the AZR was established in 1967.

The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) reports that nearly 110,400 foreigners became naturalised German citizens in 2016. That was an increase of slightly more than 3,000, or 2.9%, compared with a year earlier. In the preceding two years, the number of naturalisations had declined.