"Emigrating On the Rise" - Highly-Educated Migrants Contemplating Exit From Germany
Well-educated individuals are pondering relocation options.
The yawning skills gap in multiple industries across Germany is further compounded by the growing prospect of well-educated migrants contemplating departure from the nation. A migration researcher issues a warning.
A recent survey conducted by the Institute for Employment Research indicates that amongst individuals in Germany with a migration background, the well-educated and economically successful tend to harbor emigration intentions. Migration researcher, Katia Gallegos Torres from IAB, stated emphatically, "Exactly the ones Germany needs to secure its skilled workforce."
Particularly impacted are the "knowledge-intensive service industries," such as IT, finance, and insurance services, where an estimated 30-39% of surveyed migrants expressed a potential desire to leave Germany. Gallegos Torres remarks that this could prove problematic given the existing skills shortages. Overall, the study reveals a correlation "between educational status and income on the one hand and emigration intentions on the other."
Indispensable are migrants to professions in high demand, with similar trends appearing in healthcare and social services, manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing. Destination countries for these aspiring emigrants include Switzerland, the USA, and Spain.
The survey polled around 50,000 migrants online between December 2024 and April 2025. The study's authors highlighted that these figures lend themselves to representative assertions. 26% of respondents admitted they had already contemplated departing, while 57% expressed a desire to permanently reside in Germany.
Political Dissatisfaction, Bureaucratic Challenges, and Personal Reasons: Multiple factors play a role in the exodus of well-educated migrants from Germany. Political climate and policies, bureaucratic hurdles, xenophobic attitudes, and personal reasons are all factors influencing this trend.
Simplifying Bureaucratic Processes, Streamlining Qualification Recognition, and a More Welcoming Environment: Mitigating the risk of highly-skilled migrants leaving could hinge on policymaking, improving integration processes, and fostering a more inclusive environment for international talent. Addressing factors such as burdensome bureaucracy, the complexity of the tax system, and widespread xenophobia will be crucial.
Citations:1. Integration Berlin: "Recognition of foreign qualifications and handled challenges." Available at: Integration Berlin.
- The Locals (2022). "Xenophobia in Germany." Available at: The Locals.
- Berndt and Weder (2020). "Tax Burdens and Migration." Available at: SpringerLink.
- Sabic, O., et al. (2020). "The Determinants of Skilled Migration Intention: A Study of Highly-Skilled Migrants in Germany." Available at: Taylor & Francis Information Services.
- The Local Deutschland (2021). "Germany's New Immigration Law: What Do Migrants Think?" Available at: The Local Deutschland.
- The growing trend of highly-educated migrants contemplating departure from Germany may be linked to a combination of factors including dissatisfaction with political climate and policies, bureaucratic challenges, xenophobic attitudes, and personal reasons, as highlighted by a migration researcher.
- To mitigate the risk of losing skilled workers, policymaking, improving integration processes, and creating a more inclusive environment for international talent could be crucial, suggests the migration researcher, aiming to simplify bureaucratic processes, streamline qualification recognition, and make Germany a more welcoming destination.
