New figures from the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) show that the number of Ukrainian men of military age registered in Germany rose by roughly 6 000 between June and August 2026, despite the EU ending automatic temporary-protection status for that group in July. The Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland obtained the data and it was published by news portal Nordost24 on 15 September. Under the revised EU Council decision, men aged 23–60 must now present proof of legal exit or military exemption before being granted protection in the Union. Germany had publicly backed the tougher stance, arguing it would bolster Ukraine’s mobilisation efforts. Yet BAMF statistics show the cohort nonetheless climbed from 413 633 in June to 419 613 by the end of August, bringing the total Ukrainian refugee population in Germany to 1.36 million. For employers, the data highlight an emerging compliance dilemma. Many Ukrainian nationals originally entered on humanitarian grounds but have since moved into Germany’s labour market under the Skilled Immigration Act or Western-Balkans quota. HR teams should therefore verify whether employees’ residence titles remain valid under the new EU rules and ensure that any pending military-service documents are on file. From a policy angle, the uptick will increase pressure on Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to clarify enforcement. The CSU politician had demanded border checks targeting draft-eligible Ukrainians earlier in the summer; opposition parties now question the effectiveness of those measures. A Bundestag migration-committee hearing scheduled for 22 September is expected to debate whether additional exit-verification steps, such as Ukrainian consular attestations, should be required at German embassies. Practical advice for mobility managers: audit the residence status of Ukrainian employees, prepare contingency plans for family-reunion requests that may face stricter scrutiny, and monitor forthcoming BAMF guidance on permit renewals issued under §24 Residence Act.
