Immigration strategies of cities: local growth policies and urban planning in Germany

Figures & data

Table 1. Urban strategies for managing immigration.

Strategic field	Target groups	Objectives	Instruments
Urban development policies (proactive flow management)
Demographics	New residents Young residents	Grow local population Counteract ageing of local population	Attracting investors Creating jobs and providing housing
Recruiting/retaining skilled workers	Highly skilled workers Skilled workers	Boost competitiveness	Offering vocational training Offering jobs Technology centres
Higher education	Students	Attract students Encourage students to settle in region after completing degree	University courses
Urban development and housing	Reurbanised residents Returners from suburbia Inbound commuters	Regenerate neighbourhoods Reduce vacant properties and lots	Urban development projects Housing construction projects
City marketing	Foreign specialists	Promoting cosmopolitan image Foster local identity as a city of immigrants	Marketing campaigns ‘Culture of welcome’
Integration policies (reactive stock management)
Integration	Asylum-seekers and refugees Foreign labour migrants Family reunification	Refugees grow urban population Harness diversity as a resource	Integration and diversity plans

Source: Author.

Table 2. Comparative data on Bremen and Leipzig.

	Comparative data (2015)	Bremen	Leipzig
Demographics	Population	557.400	560.500
	Population development 2005–2015	+3.934	+65.195
Migration	Migration balance (2014)	+3.392	+12.403
	Percentage of population with migrant background	32.5	12.3
	Percentage of foreigners	15.1	7.5
Education and qualifications	Number of students (winter term 2015/2016)	33.103	37.257
	Percentage of highly skilled workers	12.1	19.2
Labour market	Employees with social security benefits	260.385	248.952
	Unemployment rate (2014)	9.9	9.4
Housing	Ratio of owned apartments	38	11
City as a work place	Commuter balance	70.461	37.179
	Inbound commuters	115.002	96.088
	Outbound commuters	42.682	58.909

Sources: Infosystem Bremen (www.statistik.bremen.de), Leipzig: Statistical Yearbooks (compiled by the author).

Table 3. Migration balance for Bremen and Leipzig between 1990 and 2015.

Year	1990	2000	2002	2004	2006	2008	2010	2012	2014	2015
Bremen	8.149	332	3.792	2.635	2.374	848	1.092	3.514	3.392	6.244
Leipzig	−17.016	1.012	3.330	1.843	4.939	5.221	4.359	10.889	12.403	n.a.

Sources: Bremen: Infosystem Bremen, compiled by the author, Leipzig: Statistical Yearbooks (compiled by the author).

Table 4. New arrivals in Bremen and Leipzig by origin.

New arrivals (total)	2005	2007	2009	2011	2013	2014
Bremen total	24.136	23.777	26.741	27.587	29.266	30.062
From Germany	18.301	17.942	19.924	19.329	19.556	18.487
From abroad	5.468	5.835	6.817	8.258	9.710	11.575
From EU countries	2.512	3.114	3.357	3.979	5.336	5.910
Leipzig total	n.a.	24.300	26.382	30.961	32.355	35.381
From Germany	n.a.	20.277	22.055	25.584	25.319	27.460
From abroad	n.a.	4.023	4.327	5.377	7.036	7.921
From EU countries	n.a.	1.911	1.924	2.894	3.974	4.170

Sources: Infosystem Bremen (www.statistik.bremen.de), Leipzig: Statistical Yearbooks (compiled by the author).

Table 5. Strategies pursued by Bremen and Leipzig to attract immigrants.

Strategic Components	Bremen		Leipzig
	Targets	Projects/Measures	Targets	Projects/Measures
Demographics	‘Bremen is a growing city situated within Germany’s northwestern metropolitan region. We want Bremen to continue growing as comparable cities are doing’ (Koalitionsvertrag 2015)	Undetermined	‘Leipzig is growing sustainably’ (INSEK L 2017) ‘Retaining’ young residents who have completed their education; reduce out-migration of families, encourage return of former residents (SEKo L 2008)	‘Inflow of individuals with a migrant background’ to stabilize demographic trend (SEKo L 2008)
Attracting/retaining highly skilled workers	‘Young, highly qualified, highly skilled workers and managers’ (Leitbild HB 2009)	Technology park, university, science park, Airportstadt industrial estate	‘Compete internationally to attract jobs, highly skilled workers and companies’, ‘remain appealing to entrepreneurs, businessmen and creatives types’ (INSEK L 2017) ‘Appeal to young employees’ (SEKo L 2008)	Schools and higher education institutions help attract/retain highly skilled workers Academia, business world and city work together
Education	Universities and research centres ‘attract young students’ (Leitbild HB 2009)	Bremen University is officially classified as an ‘excellent’ institution Promoting education and science	‘Leipzig to become an international and innovative city of science’, ‘Increase the number of international researchers and students’ (INSEK L 2017) Leipzig to develop into a regional ‘education metropolis’ to attract students (SEKo L 2008) ‘Encourage higher education graduates to stay’ (SEKo L 2008)	One-off financial payment for students permanently relocating to Leipzig (since 1999) Increased number of natural science and technology-focused university courses Development of four science quarters
Urban development and housing construction	‘Attracting new residents’ and ‘discouraging residents to move to the suburbs’ (Senator of Finance 2015) ‘Young urban types’ and ‘Baby boomers’	Housing strategy: create 1,400 housing units annually New ‘Überseestadt’ city district	Renovate ‘trademark’ historical ‘Gründerzeit’ quarters in city centre (INSEK L 2017)
City marketing	‘Bremen! A highly liveable, urban and interconnected city’ (Leitbild HB 2009)		‘Leipzig is booming’ ‘Leipzig liberty’
Integration	Refugees contribute to urban growth (IK HB 2016)	Emergency programme to create refugee accommodation (since 2015)	Recruit highly skilled workers from abroad (IK L 2012) Support migrant-run businesses	Neighbourhood management programme for Leipzig’s Eisenbahnstraße