Germany: Why Millions of Skilled Immigrants Are Considering Leaving the Land of Dreams

In a shocking paradox, a recent study revealed that nearly a quarter of immigrants residing in Germany are considering leaving the country, despite the dire need for their skills to rescue the struggling economy.

While the study did not clearly identify the reasons, preliminary analyses point to intertwined factors such as integration difficulties, wage disparities, and political and social crises.

The German economy is experiencing unprecedented fragility, with official figures showing 1.4 million unfilled jobs by the end of 2024, particularly in vital sectors such as healthcare, digital technology, and infrastructure.

Observers believe that, amid intensifying global competition for talent, Germany could lose its position as a preferred destination if these issues are not urgently addressed.

In addition to being one of the easiest countries to immigrate to in the world, Germany also hosts the largest number of immigrants in Europe, with over 15 million.

Skilled Immigrants

Despite rising education and growing workforce contributions, many highly skilled immigrants in Germany consider leaving the country. 

In a worrying trend, a recent study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) of the Federal Employment Agency revealed that about 2.6 million immigrants, including university graduates and highly qualified individuals, said they had thought about leaving Germany over the past year, while about 300,000 others already have concrete plans to do so. 

It included a representative sample of 50,000 immigrants aged 18 to 65 who came to the country for various reasons, including work, education, or family reunification. The study excluded asylum seekers who did not obtain permanent residency.

It showed that the majority of those considering leaving Germany were highly educated and worked in strategic sectors.

The highest percentage was in the information and communications technology (ICT) sector, at 39%, followed by finance at 30%, and health and social services at 28%, indicating a potential loss of highly skilled workers for the German economy.

This study once again highlighted the extent of discrimination and racism faced by immigrants in Germany, as well as the significant difficulties in cultural adaptation.

“In 2024, the debate on migration was intense, and social acceptance was not particularly high,” said Yuliya Kosyakova, head of the Migration, Integration, and International Labor Market Research Division at the IAB.

In the February 2025 Bundestag elections, the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), a staunch proponent of ‘re-migration’, became the second-strongest political force in the country.

The Christian Democratic Union (CDU)/Christian Social Union (CSU), which had promised a stricter migration policy during the election campaign, won.

In a coalition with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), border controls were extended as the first measure of migration policy, and the option of naturalization for well-integrated immigrants was immediately abolished.

“These major debates about migration policy have a negative impact on people, on the sense of welcome, and on experiences of discrimination,” Kosyakova added.

“These are the reasons why people often consider emigrating or are already planning to leave Germany,” she concluded.

Great Difficulties

Commenting on the study's findings, lawyer Fatih Zingal, who handles cases involving disadvantaged migrants in Germany, told Anadolu Agency that the rise in overt racism and the decline in cultural and social openness are pushing immigrants to seriously consider returning to their countries of origin or moving to other countries.

He also expressed regret over German politicians' reluctance to address racial discrimination for fear of losing votes, adding that this further complicates matters.

He pointed out that the far-right AfD approached 25% of the vote in the snap elections held on February 23, 2025, noting that this is an indicator of rising racism.

He criticized what he described as flaws in the implementation of anti-hate and anti-racism laws in Germany, noting that many foreigners face not only verbal but also physical abuse, amid a marked disparity in the way official authorities deal with these issues.

“German society is characterized by social isolation that hinders the integration of immigrants, noting that countries like the UK and the US have become a more attractive alternative for immigrants from diverse backgrounds,” he added.

“For example, an engineer from India comes to Germany and starts his job, but who will he socialize with? German life revolves around work, and it's not often that a German friend calls you and says,: Let's go out together!”, he explained.

He pointed out that this reality pushes immigrants to form their own associations and live within their ethnic communities, which makes their integration more difficult, noting that, due to these conditions, many immigrants now prefer other European countries.

“Anyone considering coming to Germany should conduct preliminary research; otherwise, they may be disappointed. Even those with higher education degrees may work for a while and then decide to move to another country,” he said.

He noted that although German policies favor Europeans, the country desperately needs immigrants to fill its labor shortage, warning that losing them would pose a real problem for the country.

He emphasized that Germany's problem in attracting qualified talent is worsening, and that the biggest loser from immigrants' reluctance to come will be the German economy itself.

Dire Need

Germany is currently facing a real crisis in attracting foreign talent, despite its dire need for labor.

With immigrants increasingly choosing other countries, Germany may find itself facing a worsening demographic and economic dilemma.

According to the UN, Germany ranks third in the world in terms of the number of international immigrants, after the U.S. and Saudi Arabia.

However, it has not yet succeeded in providing an attractive and stable environment for new residents.

There is a dire need for skilled workers in many sectors in Germany: particularly medical professions, the healthcare and construction sectors, as well as skilled trades.

In addition, there is a shortage of nursery teachers, cooks, and people who can drive trucks and buses—i.e., professional drivers.

According to experts, Germany needs approximately 400,000 additional immigrants each year to remain permanently in order to maintain stable workforce potential.

They point out that this is the only way to offset the demographic trend, especially since Germany is an aging country. 

They explained that these conditions not only lead to a labor shortage but also to a shortage of state revenues to fund pensions.

They called on the German government to implement several measures, such as reducing bureaucracy, simplifying qualification recognition, and providing tax exemptions, to reduce the tendency of professionally successful immigrants to leave the country. 

At the same time, the number of immigrants working in Germany is increasing. In 2024, the proportion of foreign employees reached just over 16%, a percentage that has more than doubled since 2010.

In addition, employment in the medical professions is disproportionately high, with foreign doctors accounting for approximately 17% of the total workforce, while 20% of current nurses are foreign.

Friedrich Merz’s government recently sent a clear message to anyone thinking about coming to live in Germany: don’t. Yet its message to those who want to come to Germany to work is: we need you.

On the one hand, the conservative chancellor is fuelling rightwing narratives that suggest migration is a threat to the country. On the other, he speaks as the voice of German business and pleads for more foreign workers.