Why so Many Germans Are Considering Leaving — and What It Means for Mallorca

Why so Many Germans Are Considering Leaving — and What It Means for Mallorca

Guiding question: What is behind the thoughts of emigration, how realistic are they — and how do they affect everyday life on Mallorca?

Sunday morning in Palma's old town: espressos steam on the Plaça del Mercat, a craftsman hammers at a façade, and a few German conversations mix with Mallorcan voices. For many here the island is long more than a holiday destination — it is a testing ground for a new life. New data show that around 21 percent of people in Germany at least consider leaving the country. Among people without a migration background it is about 17 percent; those who moved to Germany themselves mention such thoughts much more often (around 34 percent), and among their children even 37 percent.

These figures come from a short study in which nearly 3,000 people were surveyed over several waves between summer 2024 and summer 2025. The researchers wanted to capture fluctuations over time; aside from a noticeable rise shortly before the federal election in February 2025, the values remained largely stable. At the same time, the Federal Statistical Office reports that about 1.2 million people actually left Germany in 2024 — a scale that should not be dismissed as mere talk.

What drives these thoughts? For roughly every second respondent the hope for a "better life" is the motive. People with a migration background also more often cite experiences of discrimination as a reason. Concrete plans are rare: only two percent state they will actually move within a year. Other surveys show similar patterns: among those who moved to Germany, about 26 percent entertain the idea, but only a small share have concrete plans to emigrate.

This mix of desire, anxiety and only occasional real preparations raises questions that are often neglected in media and debates. Is emigration treated as an individual escape fantasy, or do politicians and administrations recognise the structural signals — for example regarding skilled workers, demographic change and regional inequality? And: how well are popular destinations like Mallorca prepared for influx, a question explored in When the Germans Stay Away: Opportunity or Risk for Mallorca??

A local look: in Santa Catalina young emigrants sit in coworking cafés, delivery vans pass through Portixol, and tradespeople install air-conditioning. Instead of the classic retiree clientele, you now more often see couples in their mid-30s, freelancers with laptops and larger relocations by people with well-filled wallets. That changes demand and price levels — apartments become scarcer, prices rise, and local service providers notice fluctuations in demand between summer and winter, a dynamic discussed in Why fewer Germans are coming to Mallorca this summer - and what the island should do now.

What is missing in the public discourse? First: concrete figures on permanent arrivals to island municipalities and their effects on rental markets, schools and healthcare services. Second: an honest debate about social segregation — if well-paid newcomers drive up housing costs, locals and lower-income groups are left behind. Third: reliable information for interested people who are not starting as romantics, but as new residents with jobs, taxes and insurance to plan.

Concrete solutions for both sides: at the German level, better advisory services would be sensible, such as mandatory information packages on social security consequences and tax questions before people make a decision. Employers should provide transparency on transfers of pension and health insurance entitlements. On Mallorca's side, municipalities need binding housing plans, clearer measures against the persistent short-term rental boom and stronger links between labor market integration and language support.

Practical tips for people considering coming here: try an extended trial stay outside the high season, clarify your health insurance and tax obligations early, contact local gestores or lawyers and talk to people who already live here permanently — not only to those who tell stories of sunshine and sea.

The conclusion: the high number of people entertaining thoughts of emigration is a signal, not a verdict of fate. For Mallorca there are opportunities — new skilled workers, cultural impulses, economic strength, and broader visitor trends are examined in Balearic Islands on the Rise – More Visitors, Fewer Germans: How Mallorca Can Manage the Transition. At the same time, gentrification, pressure on infrastructure and social tensions threaten if planning and policy do not keep pace. Those who arrive or receive should therefore calculate soberly: the sea is beautiful, but there are no simple solutions.

In the end the central question remains: do we only want to swap residents — or will both sides ensure that a lasting good life is possible? In Palma the espresso has already been served; now administration and society are called on to provide answers.