“Everything that brought me to Germany was no longer, and at some point I thought, it’s enough – I don’t want my children, if I ever have anyone, to grow up in this country.”
Giannis N., who preferred to give his last name, left the Greek island of Samos at the age of 18 to study civil engineering in Germany. Hey, what was attracted to Germany because of his strong reputation to offer equal opportunities and maintain social justice.
In 2020, with a master’s degree in hand, he decided to return to his homeland after 16 years.
He worked as a project manager in the private sector in Essen’s West Germany and later as a civil engineer constructing bridges in the public sector, before trying his luck as a freelancer.
“I did everything to build a life there, but I kept running into obstacles,” now the 39 -year -old told DW.
He recalled a striking example: “I was working at a construction site, and the customer refused to pay the final challan – over 100,000 euros,” he said. “His response was: ‘I will not let you be rich in Germany.”
Gianis said that this was a clear expression of resentment towards his foreign background.
For her, it was actually a sense of sting that eventually inspired her to leave. Gianis finally took the step after realizing that he was not well integrated, he would always be in the form of “Greek”.
“First you are lazy Greek in the university, then corrupt Greek at work. I am proud to be Greek – but the mindset behind it became toxic for me,” Heer said.
25% migrants think of quitting Germany
Jianis n. Face Institute for Employment Research is echoed in a new study published.
Based on a survey of 50,000 migrants who moved between 18 and 65 to Germany, the study found that one in four was considering leaving. The shelter seekers, who have not yet recognized the status of the residence in Germany, were excluded from the study.
SurveyBetween 2024 and April 2025, it has been shown that the most likely to leave is highly educated, successful and well integrated-many people need Germany most.
For studies, the intentions to exit from Germany are the result of a complex difference of personal characteristics, social integration, economic [reasons]And alleged social acceptance. ,
So replied as the reasons for leaving the family, political disintegration faction, high taxes and bureaucracy.
More than a quarter of people living in Germany are migration backgrounds. Around 6.5 million people have come to the country alone since 2015, mainly Syrian and Ukrainian.
Without German skills, you live ‘like a ghost’
Utku Sen, a 33 -year -old cyber security engineer, ie, left Germany after being operated three years with the same sense of exclusion.
Describing his first year as “a honeymoon” in Berlin, Sen told DW that he later realized how difficult life could be for a newcomer without strong German skills.
“As a Turkish person, I always felt like a second-class citizen. I thought it would be a part of the German community to be decades.
Immediately after posting a Youtube video in Türkiye about everyday discrimination in Germany – who watched about half a million times – Sen Mover in London. In the video, he compared his life in Germany to the character of Bruce Willis in “The Sixth Sense”:
“There is a life separate from you, and you have it.
Sen said that he made his life very easy to communicate in English.
“Unlike Germany, British people are generally more open for foreigners and various cultures.
Flaver german does not always help
For Kalina Velikova of Bulgaria, even the language is not necessarily broken into Germany to speak fluently.
35 -year -old Velikova, who spent nine years in Bonn and worked in social work, stated that he first kept out during his university years – despite speaking the right German.
He said, “I will never forget how long it took people to go as a fellow student. I am talking to someone one day, and next, they would act that they did not know me. It’s not just the place where I come,” she said.
Over time, the continuous feeling of social distance began to be affected.
“I started getting cold. I felt as if I was growing in allergies to Germany – and I didn’t want so.”
In 2021, Velikova left Bonn for Sophia, where she now works as a project manager.
“Of course, here are daily conflicts,” he said. “But overall, the quality of my life has improved – even if I earn less and do more work.”
‘A very good line’ runs on stay in Germany
For economist Christian Dustman, the Rockwool Foundation Institute for the Economy and future director of the work in Berlin remain an important factor in language integration. He emphasized that German learning is necessary – not only for laboratory markets and businesses, but for migrants.
At the same time, Dustman argued that the perception of an unwanted environment is not unique to Germany.
“If you did it [survey] In the UK, reactions probably will not be all that you hear in Germany, “Heer said.
Dustman said that the more migrants a country receives, the more concerns are among the resident population.
“It can give rise to a culture that some immigrants are seen as unwanted,” said Heer.
A 2024 study by Bartelesman Foundation It was found that public concern about migration in Germany is on increased support for Germany (AFD) with increased support for far-flung options, capitalizing on the concerns of migration in the 2025 election, where it became a strong party.
Many people in Germany are increasingly concerned about the potential negative consequences of migrants coming to Germany, discovering as a rising cost for welfare state, home shortage in urban areas and increasing invoices with school systems.
In the view of Dustman, “politics has to follow a very good line, which is not overseasing the resident population, which then gives space for right -wing populist parties, and at the same time the legs with new ones that are such an important part of the economy and society.”
Beyond the policy, cultural changes are required
While politics should balance social harmony and openness, Annestasios Penolidis believes that the real change becomes deeper.
The refugee camp area manager, who moved to Germany seven years ago, said that educating the broad society is necessary to face challenges.
“The new institute to combat events like more political and social education, racism and low -income people,” Her, who feels that it is necessary, list.
Penolidis said that he could barely end, despite both his and his girlfriend working full -time. He criticized high tax rates for unmarried persons with children, calling them unfair and destroyer.
The 33 -year -old said that he is considering Greece’s return recently, citing tax policies and structural racism, which he continues as major concerns.
Still penolidis is not without hope. If meaningful changes happen, he said that he prefers to live in Germany and start a family. For him, that future not only depends on better policies, but how the society of Germany sees and supports those who call it home.
Edited by: Martin Kubber, Carla Blekar