Luring Italian Skills to Germany
Germany attracts Italy's Highly-Educated Youth: A Revival of a Century-Old Trend
By Andrea Affaticati, Milan
Over the past 13 years, around 700,000 Italian young adults, predominantly educated, have chosen to leave Italy, with Germany being one of the most favored destinations. The driving forces behind this emigration today mirror those from a century ago.
Irina Scelsi, a Frankfurt am Main resident, shareed her experience with ntv.de, "I moved to Germany at 19 to pursue sociology studies. I found the Italian educational system too rigid, emphasizing memorized knowledge over exchange and new approaches, which may not be uniform across faculties." Her father's tales about potential social criticism and the Frankfurt School also influenced her choice.
Embracing Germany as a New Home
Irina, now a youth center art educator in Frankfurt, has no plans to return to Italy. Besides her academic pursuits, she finds professional success in her career, which she emphasizes. "I have friends in Milan practicing similar professions as mine, but they earn half as much," she said. "Despite life in Milan not being half as expensive as here, this disparity is glaring."
According to Italy's statistical office, ISTAT, around 700,000 Italians aged 18 to 34 migrated from 2011 to 2024, with 191,000 leaving in 2024, a 20% increase from the previous year. In this age group, nearly equal numbers of women (44,159) and men (49,251) are emigrating.
A Common Educational Investment with Low Returns
This trend is largely driven by the average salary in Italy: surveys by Eures and Eurostat indicate that the average salary for workers under 35 in the Italian private sector amounts to 15,616 euros per year. Nearly 40% of these individuals have only fixed-term contracts, while youth unemployment averages 21.3%. In Europe, it is 14.1%.
Germany's Advantageous Position
Emigration is especially enticing for highly-educated individuals—mostly university graduates. This trend not only affects Italy's future but also constitutes an investment loss, as the government has spent approximately 108,000 euros on each emigrant's education. Considering that 48% of those with a university degree depart the country (36% in 2019), Italy's significant investment in education yields little return.
As for the destination countries of young Italians, Germany ranks first with 12.8%, followed by Spain with 12.1% and the UK with 11.9%.
Italian Academics Shine in Germany
Data from the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) reveals that a total of 10,154 Italian students were enrolled in German universities during the winter semester 2023/24. In 2022, 4,439 researchers with Italian citizenship were working at German universities, including 340 professors.
According to the DAAD study "Science Open to the World," Italy ranks second among countries of origin for international academic staff and foreign professors in Germany.
Navigating the German Job Market
The "Dual Concept" vocational training company, wholly owned by the German-Italian Chamber of Commerce in Milan, was established ten years ago to guide companies and individuals in navigating the foreign job market. Katrin Helber, Managing Director of "Dual Concept," explained, "Our dual vocational training model plays a significant role."
While the Pro Recognition project, funded by Germany, ended in 2023, it helped facilitate the recognition of Italian vocational and academic qualifications in Germany. Occasionally, there are requests for help in sourcing specific professional personnel, such as pharmacists and educators.
A Recurring Migration Trend
With these emigration figures, the question arises: Has Italy, like at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, become an emigration country again? When examining more than just numbers, the answer is "yes."
While today's emigrants travel with laptops and smartphones instead of tied-up cardboard suitcases, they share with their predecessors diligence and good education. They continue to migrate in search of a better future.
Through this mass exodus of well-educated young adults, Italy faces the brunt of a brain drain that could impact its long-term economic development and innovation. On the other hand, Germany benefits from supplementing its workforce with skilled Italian workers, enhancing its cultural diversity, and aiding in economic growth.
Situations such as these demonstrate the importance of European integration, fostering not only mutual benefits but also grappling with challenges related to workforce distribution and cultural identity.
[Relevant Enrichment Data included]
- The trend of Italy's highly-educated youth emigrating to countries like Germany, as discussed in Andrea Affaticati's article, is not only affecting Italy's future but also offers opportunities for education-and-self-development, employment, and vocational training in these destinations.
- As Irina Scelsi, an Italian expat in Frankfurt, explains, the leap to adopting a different lifestyle and integrating into the German community is an appealing choice for many, considering the technology-infused education system, career prospects, and sports culture, which may not be as readily available or accessible in Italy.
