Germany should offer more than just dead-end jobs

The free movement of workers is one of the cornerstones of the European Union. This fundamental principle enables EU citizens to work in another member state, while enjoying the same rights as domestic workers. Around five million EU citizens are currently registered in Germany, making the country one of the most important destinations for intra-EU migration, with a positive net inflow of migrants. However, the numbers have been declining for years, with hundreds of thousands of EU workers leaving Germany again each year. So why is Germany becoming a less attractive destination to workers from other EU member states, and what can be done about it? The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung’s online event Intra-EU Migration: Why Germany is Losing Its Appeal, held on 21 September as part of the foundation’s Understanding Migration series, examined these very questions. 

Discrimination and wage inequality 

In her presentation on Trends in Intra-EU Migration, Bettina Wagner of the Office for Equal Treatment of EU Workers, which operates under the Federal Government Commissioner for Integration, explained that people from countries that joined the EU after 2004, in particular, tend to leave Germany relatively quickly – on average after five to ten years. One of the main reasons for this is wage inequality, with 85 percent of workers from Romania, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic earning less than the median wage of their German counterparts with the same qualifications. This is compounded by the fact that people from Southeast Europe are especially likely to work in low-paid, low-skilled jobs. Many also experience discrimination at work, in their dealings with government agencies and on the labour market. In a 2026 study conducted by the Institute for Applied Economic Research (IAW), a mere 20 percent of respondents reported never having experienced discrimination at all. 

Germany is facing competitionfrom elsewhere in Europe

The fact that fewer people are coming to Germany for work reasons, or are staying for shorter periods, can also be attributed to the growing appeal of other EU countries, explains Kamil Frymark of the Centre for Eastern Studies. Poland, for instance, which has itself been a country of immigration for around a decade, is also facing a demographic crisis. Yet, while Germany’s economy is showing signs of weakness, Poland is experiencing an upswing. Rising wages and improved job opportunities make it far easier for labour migrants to return to Poland today than ten years ago. A 2025 study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) found that almost one third of Poles living in Germany are considering returning to Poland. Frymark also anticipates changes in mobility patterns in the future, such as people moving between different EU member states depending on their stage of life. 

More support and information for workers

Bartosz Marosz has been the trade union secretary for IG Metall Küste district since 2024. As a temporary worker, he has experienced discrimination himself and is now committed to helping other Polish workers, many of whom are simply unaware of their rights or who they can turn to if they encounter a problem. At the same time, employment standards are not adequately monitored. What good is a minimum wage if it is not being enforced? Initiatives and projects such as the German Trade Union Confederation’s Fair Mobility (Faire Mobilität) are important, Marosz points out, but many workers are not aware of them. Marosz also believes that the employers themselves could do more to support and protect their employees, for example by offering further training and language courses.

Better coordination of responsibilities

Another problem is the inconsistent and fragmented distribution of responsibilities among employment agencies, district authorities and immigration offices. This can quickly become overwhelming for newly arrived migrants, explains Dörte Schall, former Minister of Labour, Social Affairs, Transformation and Digitalisation in Rhineland-Palatinate. 

One possible solution, Schall suggests, would be what are known as “Integration Points” – central contact points for migrant workers in local communities, so that they do not have to go to a different authority for every issue. It is also important that advice be available in the migrant’s native language. Such support centres could help migrant workers identify dubious job offers they encounter online. To date, however, local authorities have had to cover the staffing costs for these centres themselves.

Making it easier to have qualifications recognised 

Another way of making Germany more attractive again, Bettina Wagner suggests, is to develop new training and apprenticeship models. Dual vocational training, typical of the skilled trades in Germany, for example, does not exist in other countries. Yet for skilled workers, doing another three-year apprenticeship in Germany is often simply not realistic. Wagner therefore advocates alternative forms of training and qualification, particularly on-the-job training that allows workers to gain recognised qualifications while continuing to earn a decent wage. 

Decent conditions that encourage people to stay

Germany relies on workers from other EU member states. However, anyone looking to recruit people, especially for low-skilled jobs, must also offer prospects for career development. Particularly in view of the growing competition for labour across Europe, it is increasingly important for Germany to provide employment conditions that enable people to put down roots in the long term. 

Niclas Kreft works as a freelance journalist who writes for various regional and national newspapers across Germany. He particularly enjoys writing and researching issues related to vocational training, higher education and migration. He is studying social sciences at the University of Cologne and attended the Cologne School of Journalism.

The event was part of our ‘Migration verstehen’ series, in which we discuss and categorise central concepts of the current debate together with experts and practitioners from politics, civil society and academia and examine their political suitability.

Find more information here (German only).