Find Me a New Land: The 2025 IAB Study on Emigrating Migrants in Germany
Intentions for Emigration Commmon Among Well-Educated Immigrants, According to Study - Intention to Emigrate Particularly High Among Highly Educated Migrants, Finds Study
In the bustling world of "Knowledge-Intensive Service Industries," including IT, finance, and insurance, it seems Germany is losing some of its brightest talents. According to the latest IAB study conducted between December 2024 and April 2025, 25-26% of migrants surveyed are considering packing their bags and leaving good old Deutschland.
Comparable trends are also present in healthcare, social services, manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing sectors. "This is a risk we can't overlook," said Gallegos Torres, as existing skills shortages are already a cause for concern.
So, where are those migrants planning to journey next? Switzerland, the USA, and Spain top the list of preferred destinations for these likely emigrants. Interestingly, while many European migrants are yearning to return to their motherlands, such as Poland and Romania, non-European destinations like Turkey and Ukraine are on the back burner for long-term aspirations.
But why the nostalgia for greener pastures? The tax burden, complex bureaucracy, and the general economic situation in Germany are a few common complaints. The political climate and personal career reasons are also factors that weigh heavily on these migrants' minds. And let's not forget the most unfortunate—discrimination experiences, particularly in encounters with authorities or at work, significantly drive the urge to emigrate.
However, it's not all doom and gloom. Among those surveyed, 57% still harbor a steadfast desire to stay in Germany, suggesting that its charm and appeal have managed to win over a sizable portion of the migrant community. But to keep those numbers high and growing, it's crucial to make changes and improve conditions for these skilled professionals.
To this end, the study proposes several recommendations geared towards a future-proof migration policy. These suggestions range from comprehensive de-bureaucratization and centralization to digitization and acceleration of migration and administrative processes. Specifically, the labor migration procedures need a facelift, with a stronger focus on making the recognition of foreign qualifications more efficient, transparent, and digitally streamlined.
The report further emphasizes the importance of providing a supportive environment for immigrants seeking social integration and societal participation. By addressing and dismantling structural barriers, simplifying and accelerating migration and administrative processes, fostering social integration, and promoting a more open and inclusive society, Germany can hope to keep its much-needed talent pool tied to the nation.
- Germany
- Migrants
- Migration trends
- IAB
- Switzerland
- USA
- Spain
- Integration
- Job dissatisfaction
- Discrimination
- The latest IAB study reveals that a significant number of migrants in Germany's Knowledge-Intensive Service Industries, such as IT, finance, and insurance, are contemplating emigration.
- Other sectors like healthcare, social services, manufacturing, logistics, and warehousing are also seeing similar migration trends.
- Switzerland, the USA, and Spain are the preferred destinations for these potential emigrants, while return to their motherlands, like Poland and Romania, is less popular.
- High tax burden, complex bureaucracy, general economic situation, political climate, personal career reasons, and discrimination experiences are pushing migrants to consider leaving Germany.
- Despite these factors, 57% of the surveyed migrants still wish to remain in Germany, highlighting its appeal.
- The study proposes several recommendations for a future-proof migration policy, including de-bureaucratization, centralization, digitization, and more efficient recognition of foreign qualifications.
- The report stresses the need for a supportive environment for immigrants, discussing simplifying and accelerating migration and administrative processes, fostering social integration, and promoting an inclusive society.
- By addressing structural barriers, streamlining processes, encouraging social integration, and maintaining an open society, Germany can keep its valuable talent pool from emigrating.
