Overview
- Official Destatis data show 288,579 German citizens emigrated in 2025, an increase from 2024, with Switzerland, Austria and Spain the three most common destinations.
- Within the EU/EWR and under the Switzerland agreement Germans can live and work without a residence permit but must follow host‑country rules on registration and residence documentation such as Sweden’s personnummer or Ireland’s PPS number.
- Moving residence usually ends membership in Germany’s statutory health insurance (GKV) so affected people must either present an S1 form to keep cover or enroll in the local system and private cover where required.
- Private German health insurance (PKV) generally continues inside the European Economic Area but commonly does not cover permanent moves to non‑EEA countries, so early contact with insurers is essential.
- Many emigrants are about 35 years old, highly educated and chiefly motivated by career reasons, and applicants aiming for countries outside Europe face point systems that reduce chances with higher age which affects planning for work, housing and insurance.