One in five in Germany has considered leaving, survey finds

One in five people in Germany say they have considered leaving the country, according to a survey.

The study by the German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) found that 21% of respondents reported thinking about emigration. Among Germans without a migration background, the share was 17%. Those who themselves immigrated to Germany were twice as likely to consider leaving (34%).

The most common motivation was the hope for a better life, cited by roughly half of those considering leaving. People with a migration background also frequently mentioned experiences of discrimination.

However, concrete plans to emigrate were rare: Only 2% intended to move abroad within a year. In 2024, 1.2 million people left Germany, according to the Federal Statistical Office.

The study noted that public debates on immigration often overlook the fact that people regularly leave Germany, a trend with implications for the country's demographic changes and labour shortages.

Emigration considerations were highest among people with family ties to Turkey, the Middle East and North Africa (39%), followed by immigrants from the former Soviet Union (31%) and EU countries (28%).

Researchers surveyed 2,933 people between summer 2024 and summer 2025, asking each participant five times to track fluctuations. They found little change overall, except for a roughly 10 percentage point increase in emigration considerations among immigrants and their descendants shortly before the federal election in February 2025.