Every fourth immigrant does not want to stay in Germany – the world

The German economy is weak – but experts in many economic branches are still required: in medicine, especially in the field of care and worries about the old and disappearing people, in the IT-sector, construction and various types of crafts. Missing educators, cooks, as well as professional truck drivers and buses. In the entire country at the end of 2024. the German company had about 1.4 million unfilled jobs.

At the same time, there are more and more immigrants in Germany. Last year, the share of employed foreigners amounted to more than 16 percent. Since 2010. Has more than doubled. There is a special high percentage of employees in medical profession. Every sixth doctor or doctor have foreign nationality. In the care sector, employment growth of 2022. is based solely on foreign staff. There is currently every fifth employee in that sector – immigrant.

They think about going

The question is, however, do these people really want to stay in Germany in the long run? The Institute for Labor and Occupational Market Research (IAB) in the Federal Employment Agency has now presented the study on the topic. It is based on a representative online survey in which 50,000 people born abroad participated, and which they moved into Germany and have between 18 and 65 years. The survey was not included asylum seekers who do not yet recognized residence status in Germany. The survey was conducted since December 2024. until April 2025.

« 26 percent, of which, about 2.6 million people, considered that during last year, Julia Kosjakova, head of the research department for migration, integration and international labor market research, during the presentation in Berlin. « About three percent, or 300,000 people, but have concrete plans to leave Germany. »

Germany only a successful station

About half of those who do not want to stay, intends to return to their homeland, and the other half wants to continue their way into another country. Among those who want to return, Poles and Romanians are most often mentioned. Migrants who want to leave Germany and leave, they would prefer to go to Switzerland, US or Spain. Refugees and persons, which came through family merger, show a significantly smaller inclination towards emigration than highly educated and economically successful immigrants.

« One of the key results of our survey is that they have been working or studying – so better educated, more common than average, they are thinking about going, » says Katja Galegos Tores, which participated in the work on research.

Emigration is a risk for Germany

In particular, immigrants with master’s or doctoral diplomas, as well as those with higher income, considered leaving Germany in the last twelve months. « Between 30 and 39 percent of respondents, those working in jobs such as IT, Finance and Service Activities, consider the possibility of eviction, » said Galegos Torres.

The trend, ie the tendencies of leaving Germany, becomes « relevant » and in health, industrial production, logistics. « In short, these are just those people, who are needed through this country when it comes to ensuring a sufficient number of professional workforce. This selective emigration is a significant risk for the future economic sustainability of Germany. »

High taxes and more frequent discrimination

But what are the reasons? In those who return to their homeland, the most important family reasons, while migrants who want to go to another country, are primarily looking for better working conditions and higher earnings.

High taxes and imposes, as well as excessive bureaucracy in Germany, are often listed as reasons for departure. There are also experiences with discrimination. « Almost two thirds of immigrants state that they have experienced discrimination – for example in the workplace, when they are looking for an apartment, in public space or in contact with the police, » says Galegos Torres. « One third feels or undesirable or only partially welcome. These are factors that significantly increase the inclination to departure. »

IM and the political climate bothered

The so-called. « Welcome culture » in Germany has further weakened. « During 2024. The debate in public was strongly marked by the topic of migration, and the social acceptance of migrants was not particularly high, » said the researcher of Julia Kosjakov.

Slightly more than a quarter of the population in Germany has a migrant background. Since 1950, about 21 million people or only came to Germany or are both parents of immigrants. And only in 2015, 6.5 million people were born in Germany. The largest groups are Syrians and Ukrainians.

At the February 2025 parliamentary elections. Partly the right-extreme alternative to Germany (AFD), a party that strongly advocates the so-called. « Remigration, » the second strongest force in the Bundestag became became. And the victory in the elections took Demohriscani (CDU / CSUs), who promised to tighten migration policy in the election campaign. They are in a coalition with the Social Democrats (SPD), and the first measures of this new policy were – increased border controls. In addition, the possibility that well integrated settlers are mutually naturalized, ie that German citizenship is obtained within three years, immediately abolished.

« These great discussions on migration and migration politics negatively affect people, the feeling that they are welcome, for experiences with discrimination, » Kosjakova says. « These are the reasons why people think more often about departure or they really plan to leave Germany. »

Germany cannot afford to evict

Experts regularly warn that Germany needs about 400,000 additional immigrants annually, which would permanently remain, and in order to maintain the necessary labor potential. Only so can the negative consequences of the demographic situation can be compensated.

Germany is the country that is old. It is more and more retirees, and less and less able. This does not only lead to the lack of labor, but also results in the lack of state revenues needed to finance pensions.

The study Institute for Labor Market Research and Occupation shows that the « central challenge is not only an inflow, but also a permanent retention of migrants, » Kosjakova emphasizes.

Motivate them to stay

Much points out that state measures would like to reduce the qualifications, more digitization and tax relief, they could reduce the inclination towards emigrating – especially in professionally successful immigrants, the researchers are listed. However, « broad and honest » acceptance of immigrants in society is also needed.

The CDU comes the request for foreign medicine students after the completion of the studies do not release so easily. He who studies in Germany should, they say, after that, at least five years to work as a doctor – in rural areas of Germany, therefore where the lack of doctors is increasing. « Whoever does not want, that must return the costs of this top education, » says Deputy President of the Premier Sep Miller (CDU) Parliament.

Support comes from the Ministry of Health. « We have to motivate young doctors to work in Germany, not that we are looking at how they emigrate, » said Secretary of State in the Federal Ministry of Health, Tino Zorge (CDU).