The Rockwool Foundation Berlin (RFBerlin) [opens pdf] reports that 32.1% of migrants from non-EU countries had a university degree or equivalent qualification in 2024 — up from 30.9% in 2023.
The study, released Monday, describes this as a “record level” and part of a continued upward trend over the past decade.
In Germany, the share of highly educated non-EU migrants rose from 29.4% to 31.1% over the same period. For migrants from other EU member states, the percentage holding a tertiary qualification climbed from 33.8% to 35.2% EU-wide, and from 28.6% to 30.1% in Germany.
“This continuous rise in education levels highlights the potential migrants bring to EU labor markets,” said Tommaso Frattini, co-director of the Center for Research and Analysis of Migration at RFBerlin and professor at the University of Milan. He said that if migrants’ skills are fully utilized, “they can be a key driver of economic growth across the EU.”
More and more immigrants are coming to Germany to work. In 2024, the proportion of foreign employees was just over 16%. It has more than doubled since 2010. Employment in medical professions is disproportionately high. More than one in six doctors is a foreign citizen.
So it was an issue of concern last week when the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) at the Federal Employment Agency said it had found that other countries are more attractive to economically successful foreigners and one in four say they are considering leaving Germany. Many of them are quoting discrimination as a reason.
Germany in general is not that attractive to economically successful foreigners. It as a country has high taxes and is expensive to live in. When you are already rich, then you rather have low taxes and a cheap country. Obviously still safe, but those are around as well.
For people from poor countries looking for better jobs, Germany is highly attractive. The pay and working conditions are usually fairly good. So no wonder more university graduates make their way to the country.
Also 1/4 migrants wanting to leave is surprisingly little. They are much more likely to leave anyway, as they have proven to be willing to move. There are good reasons to leave Germany as well. If from a poor country going home for cheaper living is a very viable option, especially for retirment. Migrants also are not that bound to the country, so moving somewhere else for an even better life is always an option. Obviously racism sucks, so yeah.