High earners with a household net income of more than 6,000 euros are particularly often interested in working outside Germany. Around half of this group have already applied or are gathering information about foreign job markets, the survey found.
The most popular destination countries are the USA, Great Britain, and Switzerland, although interest in the USA has recently declined. Most respondents are not aiming for a permanent move but rather a stay of a few months to several years.
According to the survey, the main motives are better pay and higher quality of life – more than half of participants cited these reasons. Over 40 percent also hope for lower taxes and social security contributions. Only a quarter cited career advancement opportunities as a reason.
Indeed economist Virginia Sondergeld interprets the results as a sign of dissatisfaction with local conditions in Germany. She recommends that policymakers and employers engage in dialogue with employees to create incentives for working in Germany and improve working conditions. The survey was conducted from May 8 to 11, 2026, among 1,000 employees aged 16 to 66.
Source: www.spiegel.de
