The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) does not keep detailed records of how many Germans live abroad, nor does it specify the reasons for their decision to leave. It is known, however, that among emigrants, working-age individuals predominate — approximately half are people between 25 and 49 years of age, while seniors over 65 accounted for just 6 percent of those departing.

According to Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) data, in 2024 approximately 90,807 people of Polish nationality left Germany, while 82,082 moved to Germany. For the first time in 25 years, this resulted in a negative migration balance for Poland, meaning that more Poles emigrated from Germany than arrived. For 2025, complete data are not yet available, but from January through April 2025 more than 93,000 Poles had already left the country, and the trend is expected to persist.

A negative migration balance in 2024 was also recorded for Romanians, similarly to Poland. In 2023, 189,321 Romanians moved to Germany, but 172,933 left the country again.

German migration statistics show contradictory trends. For 15 years, Germany has recorded a positive overall migration balance — more people arrive than leave, mainly thanks to immigrants from abroad. However, for German citizens specifically, the balance has been negative since 2005: more Germans leave than return. In the first four months of 2025, more than 93,000 Germans had already left the country. If the trend continues, 2025 could bring record-setting emigration.

"Since the pandemic, we have observed a clear increase in interest in emigration,"

notes Christoph Heuermann, founder of the company Staatenlos, which supports individuals planning to leave Germany.

Although the Federal Statistical Office does not cite specific reasons for emigration, conversations with experts and emigrants themselves — conducted among others by the German business newspaper Handelsblatt — point to growing frustration with German bureaucracy, which makes life difficult for entrepreneurs and professionally active individuals. High tax and social-contribution burdens also discourage people, especially those who see opportunities for better earnings and a lower cost of living abroad.

"In Germany, I feel overwhelmed by regulations and taxes. In another country, I can live more freely and achieve more,"

says one emigrant, quoted by Handelsblatt.

Anxiety about the country's future is also a factor. Some people fear political upheaval, which breeds uncertainty about social stability. Others, especially the young, are simply seeking new experiences and a freedom they associate with life abroad. Among emigrants there are both students who leave for the duration of their studies and older people who choose retirement in a warmer climate, although the latter are a minority.

The mass exodus of Germans, especially those of working age, raises concerns about the future of the labor market. People aged 25–49 are often highly qualified specialists whose departure could deepen the skills shortage. This phenomenon contrasts with the influx of immigrants, who contribute to the economy but do not always fill gaps in highly skilled sectors. The negative migration balance of Germans points to the need to analyze why the country is becoming less attractive to its own citizens.

[Aleksandra Fedorska is a journalist for Tysol.pl and numerous Polish and German media outlets]