Why are many immigrants leaving Germany again?

Our end time is: Anyone who wants to manage immigration successfully must understand immigration as well. It is about keeping people long-term through right opportunities, reliable procedures, good support, and an environment in which people can develop long-term prospects”, Laura Goyner of the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) said at a press conference in Berlin.

The organisation surveyed people between the ages of 18 and 65 who emigrated from Germany until April 2025 online, asking why they left Germany and what were the crucial reasons. Emigration is not the result of a single factor. Family reasons in particular played a big role, according to the study. Experiences with discrimination were also mentioned. Many factors are politically controlled, such as bureaucracy, housing, and the embezzlement of the tongue.

Where did the young people from Germany leave?

Who are the people who leave Germany again often? “The migrants are, on average, younger. They lived in Germany for a shorter time and more often have partners and children abroad. They were also less likely to adopt German language well, but more skills for”, says IAB expert Theresa Koch.

While 60 per cent of migrants return to their native country, 40 per cent of them move to other countries. The most popular destinations are Spain, Switzerland, Italy and Croatia.

“We are competing with other European countries for qualified workers”, says Yulija Kosyakova, head of the Department of Migration, Integration and Research of the International Labour Market at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB).

The criticism of Germany is not new: long times of naturalisation processing, residence permits, visas and recognition of foreign qualifications.

They often have to wait a long time for German authorities to answer their questions. High bureaucratic tariffs are another problem. Or lack of support when it comes to employment and career, whether at the employment center, in cities, or from employers.

All of this makes long-term planning, employment access, and a sense of belonging to Germany more difficult, says Laura Go elsewhere. Administrative procedures influence “the way immigrants value their future in Germany. If procedures are perceived as long, unintelligible or difficult to access, this may be linked to their prospects of staying in the country”, the IAB expert analyzes.

“We see that migrants with more negative assessments of such procedures feel on average less welcome in Germany”.

Language remains the key to the German job market

Tillman Frank is chairman of the Federal Association board for International Qualified Workers (Bandsverband International Fackräftewinung's. V.) and managing director of “TallentOrang GmbH”, which has already recruited and supported thousands of nurses, educators and physical therapists for Germany. Frank says that language is the key to finding the best way to Germany, and especially on the job market.

“The Problem It's born when the way to Germany is wrong from the beginning, when I don't mock and choose the right people, and when the embezzlement of language doesn't support enough. If this is not the right fit, then the chance of these people returning home is relatively high. However, if I learn the language and choose the right people, those who are sufficiently prepared for the step towards Germany, then the standards of maintenance are very high. ”

But are training appropriate for nurses? Frank explains that people from Kenya, India, and Vietnam, in particular, are currently trying to find a place in Germany.

In Kenya, because the Labour Ministry there is encouraging the migration of unemployed youths. In India and Vietnam, parents there find it possible for their children to receive good training. The need remains especially high in geriatric care. Therefore, Tillan Frank calls on the German government to promote German language learning in countries of origin.

All these efforts to get here without knowledge of German language are not sustainable in the long-term plan. A good example is international diploma programs that are held in English, where people hope to be able to work here in Germany. But that doesn't work. ”

Another reason for migration may be that migrants are not properly employed: “, for example, those who were trained in acute care in hospitals in their home country and then, without clearly communicating, are housed here in nursing homes to provide basic care. ”

New access: “agencies work and stay”

Frank is familiar with the terrible stories of the German bureaucratic jungle, in which many immigrants have difficulty. His company has an Excell spray detailing absurdities of what may go wrong: for example, when two random employees send different decisions and time for visa processing.

That's why professional support is essential. At least politicians have finally realised that qualified international workers must come and stay. In Germany, there are positive and negative aspects, he concludes.

The Federal Employment Agency has introduced a centralised system that is faster and more reliable. Hessen is representing a central immigration authority. There are also plans for a working agency and stay at the federal level. ”

However, the lack of staff in government agencies complicates many operational processes. “We are making slow progress with digitalisation, very slow progress and individual access from different states or municipalities. A unified approach is still missing.” / DW