Since probably more than 10 years some politicians and economists harp about the need that Germany needs skilled workers due to its birthrate. Every year, and the number allegedly required per year varies for whatever reason between 200k and 1.5 million. Every economist will tell you a good product (in this case the skilled worker) will find a taker (here Germany) when needed. And indeed, such folks do come. We remember the GFC (Great Financial Crises) which hit apart from Greece Spain very hard with lots of unemployed there. Many Spaniards tried their luck in Germany.
However, google “spanische arbeitnehmer verlassen Deutschland” (spanish workers leave Germany) and you will find “Return to Spain” and more generally articles like “Why highly qualified people see no future for themselves in Germany” or “Why many foreign specialists leave Germany again“.
The German SPIEGEL has an article which is sobering. Unfortunately, it is paywalled.
Brain drain from Germany
“For me it was clear: I have to leave”.
Civil servants who only speak German. Colleagues who pay attention to skin color. Too much bureaucracy in the school system. International professionals tell why they are leaving Germany – or why they feel fundamentally put off.
A typical attitude at a workplace in Germany is “we have always done it this way”. If anyone shows a different approach, he will quickly be rebuked. “You can’t please them”, said one foreign worker.
In the last couple of years Germany tried to recruit foreign nurses from Mexico, the Philippines, Brazil and other places. Even Ghana and that did not go down very well with the WHO.
They did come from the Philippines, however, they do not feel exactly appreciated in Germany. “I don’t say anything about my problems here in Germany because I don’t want my mother to be afraid. That’s why I say it’s good for now.”
The article elaborates:
“But the truth is different. After almost two years in Berlin – after taking several German courses and passing the specialist examination – the trained nurse is considering leaving Germany again. According to studies, he is not the only one. On average, one in ten immigrants leaves Germany again. Romy Padilla:
“First of all, I would say the system here is good. But I have to think about it. Because I am not satisfied. For example, when it comes to vacation requests and duty rosters, the foreign colleagues are the last priority. The German colleagues are in the first place. And I don’t like that.””
The article lists a couple of reasons. There is politics.
“The CSU warns against “immigration into the social systems”.”
Then the general xenophobia.
“Foreign professionals suffer from rejection”
“”I am sad to say when I work with a German colleague, I feel alone. I feel that there is no help. And the other foreign colleagues inden that too. I asked some German colleagues about this. They said that maybe the foreign colleagues are stealing our job. I said, no, we help you! We are here for help, not for stealing.”
Romy Padilla raises his hands in perplexity. The whispering behind his back, the snide remarks about his German, the doubts about his qualifications – despite a bachelor’s degree and several years of practical experience – hurt him. As good as the salary is in Germany, he doesn’t yet know whether he wants to stay here in the long term.
“A few of my colleagues have already tried to apply to other countries. For example, USA. Now they are already learning the English language for the exam as well. So if it doesn’t work out, maybe I’ll go to other country already. Maybe USA or London.”
A look at the social media shows that Romy Padilla is not alone with such thoughts. Grace Lugert-Jose, a business psychologist from Hamburg, has been following the development of the mood here for years. There is no talk of Germany as a paradise here, she says:
“They are really young, the nurses who come from abroad, and they are all well networked. If someone has perhaps had a very stupid individual experience, they write about it on Facebook. And then it’s immediately spread.””
From MIGAZIN
Philippinische Pflegekräfte fühlen sich im Job häufig diskriminiert
Händeringend wirbt Deutschland Pflegekräfte aus dem Ausland an. Sind sie in Deutschland, erleben sie bei der Arbeit Rassismus, wie aus einer Umfrage hervorgeht. Jede Zweite will Deutschland wieder verlassen.
Filipino nurses often feel discriminated against on the job
Germany is desperately recruiting nursing staff from abroad. Once they are in Germany, they experience racism at work, according to a survey. One in two wants to leave Germany again.
Filipino nurses experience exclusion and discrimination at their workplace in Germany. According to a report published online Thursday by “Der Spiegel,” 60 percent of the caregivers said in a non-representative survey that they had experienced racism at work. Almost one in two said they planned to leave Germany again in the next five years.
The descriptions come from a survey by intercultural consultant Grace Lugert-Jose from Hamburg, for which 224 nurses filled out an online questionnaire last year. According to the report, the mood shows that while employers are highly satisfied with their Filipino workers, they often have negative experiences in their day-to-day work. This ranges from insults such as “Chink” to rejections by patients and exclusion from WhatsApp groups of German colleagues to the fact that they are always the first to be blamed when something is wrong.
According to the labor union VERDI,
“Only 17 percent of Filipino nurses working in Germany would recommend their job to friends in the Philippines. More than half (58 percent) of the respondents feel “not welcome” in Germany, and 64 percent feel professionally devalued. These were the findings of a survey conducted by intercultural consultant Grace Lugert-Jose, who specializes in the integration of foreign nursing professionals in Germany.”
You may be lucky and feel appreciated in your job in a German company, but come “Christmas or birthdays, you’re still alone again”. Loneliness in Germany on Reddit.
Evocatively Ambiguous 