26% of immigrants consider leaving Germany due to political climate, discrimination: Study

BERLIN

Many well-educated immigrants are considering leaving Germany as the EU's largest economy struggles to attract highly skilled foreigners, a new study revealed on Wednesday.

According to the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) study, one in four immigrants (26%) is considering leaving Germany. The main reasons include political dissatisfaction, discrimination in the workplace and during interactions with authorities, high tax burden, and bureaucratic hurdles.

Family considerations and better economic prospects in other countries are additional factors driving this trend.

A slim majority of immigrants (57%, or roughly 5.7 million people) want to stay in Germany permanently. Around 1.2 million (12%) plan to stay temporarily, while approximately 3 million (30%) are unsure. Approximately 2.6 million people (26%) reported considering leaving Germany in the past 12 months, with approximately 300,000 (3%) already having concrete emigration plans.

"Those who immigrated for work or education, who have higher education levels, greater economic success, and better language integration, are more likely to consider leaving or have concrete emigration plans," explained IAB researcher Lukas Olbrich. "These are precisely the people Germany urgently needs for its skilled workforce."

The study found that knowledge-intensive sectors—particularly IT, financial services, and insurance—were most affected, with 30 to 39% of surveyed migrants in these fields indicating they might leave Germany.

The EU’s largest economy is currently grappling with an aging population and a substantial shortage of qualified workers in the information technology, renewable energy, construction, and medical sectors. The rise of the far-right AfD party, which became Germany's second-largest party by gaining more than 20% support in February's elections, has heightened anxieties among immigrant communities.