If nothing changes demographically, Germany will have 16 million fewer workers by 2060 than today. According to most projections, the country needs around 400,000 new workers every year from abroad.
We often hear this fact in the news, but what we hear much less about is how many international people leave Germany again—and this seems to be becoming a growing problem. A new study shows that one in four people who come from abroad considers leaving. The reasons vary — family, work, returning home — but every second person in this group thinks about leaving because of the political climate. And it’s not rocket science to guess why: people with a migration background who have no intention of leaving are particularly worried by words like “Remigration” or “Passdeutsch.”
In Germany, over 10 million people were born outside the country. The share of the population varies widely depending on the region. In Berlin or Bremen, it is around 30% (including those who obtained citizenship); in Saxony, about 8%. I spoke with someone from Saxony-Anhalt who told me: “You in Berlin can’t even imagine how strong the hostility towards migrants (‘Migrationsfeindlichkeit’) is in my region.”
So what can be done?
One response from the federal government was the creation of a new agency called Work and Stay, designed to bring people in and help them remain in the country.
A strong example from civil society is Workstadt in Wuppertal. They run a “stay” programme financed by companies. The average recruitment cost of one skilled worker is €27,000, which means a company that needs 100 workers a year spends close to €3 million just to bring people here. So if — statistically — one in four leaves again, this creates a massive loss. That is why companies in Wuppertal contribute a fee to fund Workstadt. Their work has not only social value but a very clear economic one.
In discussions with people across various levels, one thing becomes clear: we need a narrative shift in the field of migration. A new mindset about how we see society and the role of international people within it. To put it very clearly: not only immigrants need “integration” — the whole society needs to integrate, to adapt to a new, inclusive, collaborative reality. A society that runs on technology and AI. The question is how humans can get the most out of technology while remaining human – and how Germany can transform into an international society where everyone proudly keeps their cultural roots.
Inclusivity, digitalisation, humanity, local democracy, solidarity — these are the driving forces behind the most innovative societies in the world, from Taiwan to Finland. The key in such a transformation lies in decentralised networks and in building an innovative system that can feed and strengthen those networks.
We would love to hear your thoughts on this topic.
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