Germany's Great Resignation Deepens: 30% Separation Rate and Record Emigration Signal a Fractured Labor Market
04.06.2026 - 08:05:23 | boerse-global.de
A growing number of Germans are packing their bags. The Federal Statistical Office recorded 288,579 emigrants in 2025 — the highest figure ever measured. Two-thirds of those leaving are under 40 years old, and three-quarters hold a university degree. Switzerland remains the top destination. At the same time, net immigration into Germany has plunged 45 percent to 235,000 people last year. While 1.48 million individuals moved to the country, 1.25 million left it. For the first time in years, Germany posted a net migration loss of 54,000 people relative to other EU member states.
The exodus coincides with severe turbulence in the domestic labor market. A new "Kündigungsreport" (resignation/layoff report) from HR Works puts the overall separation rate for 2026 at 30 percent — up sharply from 19 percent in 2021. Sixteen percent of workers quit voluntarily, while 14 percent were let go by their employers. The retail sector saw the highest voluntary quit rate at 18 percent. Among employer-initiated dismissals, operational reasons accounted for 38 percent, general workforce reductions for 12 percent, and strategic restructuring for 7 percent. Performance-related layoffs made up another 12 percent.
Artificial intelligence is accelerating the trend. Only 1 percent of all separations were attributed to AI in 2021, but that share climbed to 8 percent by 2025 — a figure researchers expect to rise further. The industrial sector is particularly hard hit. A separate "Jobverlust-Report" for May 2026 documents the loss of 486,000 industrial jobs within three months. Major employers announced deep cuts: Commerzbank (3,000 positions), BioNTech (1,860), ContiTech (1,600), and Wacker Chemie (1,600). The automotive industry anticipates 225,000 job losses by 2035 — with Porsche cutting 500 and Mahle 350 in May alone.
Broader labor market data confirms the cooling. The Institute for Employment Research (IAB) reports a drop of 160,000 employed persons in the first quarter of 2026, bringing the total to 45.64 million. The decline masks a troubling shift: 270,000 full-time jobs disappeared, while 150,000 part-time positions were created, pushing the part-time rate to 40.1 percent.
The mismatch between supply and demand is most visible in the IT sector. The SAP job market grew by just 2.3 percent in 2025 — a dramatic slowdown from 6.5 percent the year before — and remained virtually flat in the first quarter of 2026. But demand is shifting: project manager positions rose 8 percent, and roles requiring vocational training surged 58 percent. Meanwhile, job postings for academics fell 24 percent and for entry-level graduates 22 percent. IT specialist unemployment hit a historic high of over 61,000 in March 2026.
Wolfgang Achilles, CEO of the recruitment platform Jobware, commented: "The labor market crisis has now been going on for over 18 months." While demand for university graduates has collapsed, he noted that trades, long-distance transport, and healthcare have stayed stable.
Despite recent collective bargaining agreements pointing toward rising real wages, confidence remains fragile. The Kununu Happiness Index, which surveyed more than 3,000 employees, found that 90 percent rank financial security as a top priority — but only 58 percent believe they can actually afford it. The gap between aspiration and reality underscores the anxiety driving millions to reconsider their careers, their employers, and even their country.
