More than a third of EU citizens who have settled in Germany are thinking of leaving, mainly because of the high cost of living and because they do not feel welcome in the country.
A problem faced by many immigrants settled in Germany is the language barrier
This is the result of a study carried out at the request of the federal commissioner for migration and integration, Natalie Pawlik, which the official presented on Tuesday in Berlin. The document shows that, although EU citizens have the same rights as the local population, “they often face the language barrier, obstacles to access to the labor market and discrimination”, explained Pawlik.
Germany: Between the need for immigrants and their rejection
According to the study, which is based on its own questionnaires and the latest statistical data, at the end of 2023 there were approximately 5.1 million people living in Germany who held the citizenship of another EU member state, almost double compared to 2010. From the perspective of citizenship, most are Romanians and Poles, followed by Italians, Bulgarians and Croatians.
The main reason that led those who arrived in Germany after 2010 to emigrate was the search for a job, i.e. occupying one that they had already found (48.5 percent) as well as completing the family (28.8 percent). According to the most recent data, 2.7 million EU citizens were employed in Germany.
The main problem: the increase in the price of daily living
But in the meantime, more than a third of the EU citizens surveyed (35 percent) are thinking of leaving Germany, and 13 percent of them have already made the first preparations in this regard. The main reasons are the high rents and the high cost of living (42 percent and 36 percent, respectively), but also the feeling that they do not feel good in Germany (approximately 39 percent).
“Whoever arrives in Germany, works and participates in social life has all the rights,” emphasized Pawlik. “But there is a need for easier access to German language courses, consistent protection against exploitation at work and zero tolerance for discrimination,” the social-democrat responsible emphasized.
Germany cannot afford “to lose a third of its EU citizens due to unfavorable conditions”, she added. At the same time, improvements are needed regarding the recognition of immigrants' qualifications obtained in their countries of origin.
The study was carried out between March 2024 and October 2025 based on data analyses, numerous interviews with experts in the field and an online questionnaire in which 1000 EU citizens settled in Germany participated.
An article published by DW
