“Anyone who wants to successfully shape immigration must also understand emigration,” Laura Gossner, a researcher in migration and international labor studies at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), told a news conference in Berlin.
The IAB conducted an online survey of people aged 18 to 65 who had immigrated to Germany before April 2025 and then decided not to stay, and asked them what factors influenced their decision to leave the country again.
The researchers found that emigration is not driven by any one factor. Family-related reasons in particular play a major role. Experiences of discrimination were also cited.
Many contributing factors such as bureaucracy, housing, and language acquisition can be influenced by public policy.
Who is most likely to leave Germany again?
“On average, migrants are young,” said Theresa Koch, who works as a researcher in migration and international labor markets at the IAB. “They have spent less time in Germany and their partners and children are more likely to live abroad. They are also less likely to be proficient in German, but more likely to have a good command of English.”
About 60% of migrants return to their home countries; 40% head to destinations such as Spain, Switzerland, Italy and Croatia.
“We are competing with other European countries for skilled workers,” said Yulia Kosyakova, head of the research department of migration and the international labor market. IAB.
Bureaucracy is the main driver of emigration
Expatriates criticize well-known things about Germany, particularly the long processing times for naturalization applications, residence permits, visas and recognition of foreign qualifications. They often face long waits for a response from authorities. High administrative fees are another common source of frustration. Another point of criticism is the lack of support for career development, whether from job centres, local authorities or employers.
All this makes long-term planning, access to employment and a sense of belonging in Germany more difficult, Gossner said. Administrative procedures, he said, influence “how immigrants assess their future in Germany. When procedures are perceived as lengthy, confusing or difficult to access, this can affect people’s chances of staying.” “We found that immigrants who view such processes more negatively, on average, are less likely to feel welcomed in Germany.”
German language is dominant in the German market
Tilman Frank, President of the BVIFG federal union for the recruitment of skilled workers (Federal Association of International Skilled Recruitment e.V.) is also the managing director of TalentOrange GmbH, a company that has recruited and supported thousands of health care and child care workers in Germany. Frank told DW that the necessity of learning German is one reason many people decide to pack their bags again after only a short time in the country.
Frank said, “It becomes problematic when Germany’s path is flawed from the beginning: when language acquisition is not adequately supported.” “If these elements are not in place, the likelihood of these people returning home is relatively high. However, for those who are adequately prepared for life in Germany, the retention rate is much higher.”
There is still demand for elderly care workers
Frank said people from Kenya, India and Vietnam have made notable efforts to establish themselves in Germany. Kenya’s Ministry of Labor actively encourages young unemployed people to seek opportunities abroad. In India and Vietnam, many parents find vocational training opportunities in Germany highly attractive for their children. Demand for skilled workers from abroad to provide care for the elderly remains particularly strong.
The government should support German-language education in immigrants’ countries of origin, Frank said. “Attempting to come to Germany without knowledge of the German language is not sustainable in the long run,” he said. “International degree programs taught in English are a good example: people hope it will enable them to work in Germany – but it doesn’t.”
One reason for emigration may also be that immigrants are not employed in roles that match their qualifications: “For example, people trained in acute hospital care in their home countries may work in nursing homes providing basic care in Germany without them being explicitly informed in advance,” Frank said.
A new approach: ‘Work and live’
Frank said policymakers now also recognize that international skilled workers should not only come to Germany, but also stay. His conclusion is that Germany offers a mixture of strengths and shortcomings.
“The federal employment agency has introduced a centralized system that is faster and more reliable,” Frank said. “The state of Hesse is setting up a central immigration authority, and there are also plans to create a federal ‘Work and Stay’ agency.”
“From an operational point of view, however, staff shortages in public authorities are making many aspects of the system more difficult,” Frank said. “We are making progress with digitalization, but only slowly and through piecemeal initiatives by individual states and municipalities. A comprehensive nationwide solution is still lacking.”
This article was originally written in German.