A survey conducted by the Institute for Employment Research revealed that 2.6 million migrants—approximately 26% of the migrant population—wish to leave Germany. Additionally, 3% of surveyed migrants confirmed that they are actively planning to leave the country. According to the study, which is based on data from the IAB Migration Research Panel, migrants are most inclined to relocate to Poland, Romania, or other non-EU European countries such as Turkey and Ukraine. Meanwhile, 5.7 million migrants expressed a preference for permanent residence in Germany.
Migrants wishing to leave Germany cite dissatisfaction with the political situation, particularly due to the right-wing control of the new government. They also express concerns about the heavy tax burden, bureaucratic complexity, and experiences of discrimination. Additionally, many migrants are motivated to return to their countries of origin because of social ties. According to Katia Gallegos, a researcher at the Institute for Employment Research, “migration intentions do not arise by chance, but reflect an interaction between individual motives, personal characteristics, and social integration.”
The survey raised questions about the German labor market, revealing that nearly 39% of migrants working in telecommunications, financial and business services want to leave the country, and nearly 28% of migrants working in health services, transportation, manufacturing and trade are considering leaving Germany for other countries.
Researcher Lukas Ulbricht states that migrants who come to Germany for work or study tend to have a high level of education, achieve economic success, and are well-integrated linguistically. However, they are also more likely than others to leave Germany.
Julia Kosyakova, Head of the Department for Migration, Integration, and Labor Market Research at the Institute for Employment Research, said: “For a sustainable migration policy, it is not enough to simply encourage migration; it is also essential to create long-term opportunities for migrants to stay.” Kosyakova called for the removal of structural barriers hindering migrant integration, particularly by accelerating administrative processes, promoting social integration, and fostering societal openness. Vanessa Ahuja, Executive Director of the Federal Employment Agency, echoed this view, stressing the importance of retaining migrants.
Ahuja stated: “This requires a continuous reduction of bureaucratic procedures, digital transformation, simplification of recognition processes, and broad and genuine social acceptance.”
The study highlights a notable shift in the mindset of migrants in Germany, particularly following the adoption of a strict immigration policy by the new center-right government. This policy includes measures such as implementing border controls, rejecting individuals at the border, introducing a bill to suspend family reunification for two years, and expanding the rejection of asylum applications and deportations.
