Integration to emigration: Why do migrants leave Germany?

"Everything that brought me to Germany was no longer there, and at some point I thought, that's enough — I don't want my children, if I ever have any, to grow up in this country."

Giannis N, who preferred not to give his last name, left the Greek island of Samos at the age of 18 to study civil engineering in Germany. He was drawn to Germany due to its strong reputation for offering equal opportunities and upholding social justice.

In 2020, with a master's degree in hand, he decided to return to his homeland after 16 years.

He worked in the western German city of Essen as a project manager in the private sector and later as a civil engineer building bridges in the public sector, before eventually trying his luck as a freelancer.

"I did everything I could to build a life there, but I kept running into barriers," the now 39-year-old told DW.

He recalled one striking example: "I was working on a construction site, and the client refused to pay the final invoice — over 100,000 euros," he said. "His response was: 'I won’t let you get rich here in Germany.'"

Giannis said it was a clear expression of resentment toward his foreign background.

For him, it was the feeling of never truly being accepted that ultimately led him to leave. Giannis finally made the move after realizing that, no matter how well integrated he was, he would always be seen as "the Greek."

"First you're the lazy Greek at university, then the corrupt Greek at work. I'm proud to be Greek — but the mindset behind it eventually became toxic for me," he said.

25 percent of migrants think of leaving Germany

The very barriers Giannis N faced in Germany are echoed in a new study published by the Institute for Employment Research.

Based on a survey of 50,000 migrants who moved to Germany between the ages of 18 and 65, the study found that one in four was considering leaving. Asylum-seekers, who do not yet have recognized residence status in Germany, were excluded from the study.

The survey, carried out between December 2024 and April 2025, showed that those most likely to leave are highly educated, successful and well-integrated — the very people Germany needs most.

According to the study, intentions to emigrate from Germany are "the result of a complex interplay of individual characteristics, social integration, economic [reasons], and perceived societal acceptance."

Respondents also cited family, political dissatisfaction, high taxes and bureaucracy as reasons for wanting to leave.

Just over a quarter of people living in Germany have a migration background. Around 6.5 million people have come to the country since 2015 alone, many of them Syrians and Ukrainians.

Without German skills, you live 'like a ghost'

Utku Sen, a 33-year-old cybersecurity engineer, also left Germany after three years — driven by a similar sense of exclusion.

Describing his first year in Berlin as "a honeymoon," Sen told DW he later realized how tough life could be for a newcomer without strong German skills.

"As a Turkish person, I always felt like a second-class citizen. I thought becoming part of the German community would take decades — maybe it would never happen at all," he said.

Soon after posting a YouTube video in Turkish about everyday discrimination in Germany — which drew nearly half a million views — Sen moved to London. In the video, he compared life in Germany to Bruce Willis' character in "The Sixth Sense":

"There is a life out there apart from you, and you don't belong to it. You wander around it like a ghost. Other people aren't even aware that you exist, and you can't connect with them either," he said.

Sen said being able to communicate in English made his life much easier in London.

"Unlike Germany, British people are generally more open to and accepting of foreigners and different cultures. I haven't experienced any discrimination here. This has made me feel like a part of society and has increased my love for it," he said.

Fluent German doesn't always help

According to Kalina Velikova of Bulgaria, even speaking the language fluently doesn't necessarily break down the barriers in Germany.

Velikova, 35, who spent nine years in Bonn studying and working in social work, said she first felt excluded during her university years — despite speaking perfect German.

"I'll never forget how long it took people to let me in — even just as a fellow student. I'd talk to someone one day, and the next, they'd act like they didn't know me. That just doesn't happen where I come from," she said.

Over time, the constant sense of social distance began to affect her.

"I started becoming colder. I felt like I was developing an allergy to Germany — and I didn't want that."

In 2021, Velikova left Bonn for Sofia, where she now works as a project manager.

"Of course, there are also daily struggles here," she said. "But overall, my quality of life has improved — even though I earn less and work more."

Germany walks 'a very fine line' on migration

For economist Christian Dustmann, director of the Rockwool Foundation Institute for the Economy and the Future of Work in Berlin, language remains a key factor in integration. He emphasized that learning German is essential — not just for the labor market and businesses, but for migrants themselves.

At the same time, Dustmann argued that the perception of an unwelcoming atmosphere is not unique to Germany.

"If you did that [survey] in the UK, responses would probably not be all that different from what you hear in Germany," he said.

Dustmann also noted that the more immigrants a country receives, the more concerns arise among the resident population.

"That may lead to a culture which some immigrants perceive as unwelcoming," he said.

A 2024 study by the Bertelsmann Foundation found that public concern about migration in Germany is on the rise — a trend mirrored by the growing support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which capitalized on migration anxieties in Germany's February 2025 election, where it became the second-strongest party.

Many people in Germany are increasingly worried about potential negative consequences of migrants coming to Germany, such as rising costs for the welfare state, housing shortages in urban areas, and growing challenges within the school system.

In Dustmann's view, "politics has to walk a very fine line — between not overstretching the resident population, which then also gives space for right-wing populist parties, and at the same time being welcoming to newcomers who are also important parts of the economy and society."

Beyond policy, cultural change is needed

While politics must balance social cohesion and openness, Anastasios Penolidis believes real change goes deeper.

The refugee camp field manager, who moved to Germany seven years ago, said educating the broader society is essential to addressing the challenges migrants face.

"More political and social education, new institutions to combat phenomena like racism and lower taxes for low-income earners," he said, listing off what he thinks is necessary.

Penolidis added that he can barely make ends meet, despite both he and his girlfriend working full-time. He criticized the high tax rates for unmarried individuals without children, calling them unfair and demotivating.

The 33-year-old said he has recently been considering a return to Greece, citing tax policies and the structural racism he continues to face as major concerns.

Yet Penolidis isn't without hope. If meaningful change occurs, he said he would like to stay in Germany and start a family. For him, that future depends not just on better policies, but on a deeper shift in how Germany's society sees and supports those who choose to call it home.