"Everything that brought me to Germany was no longer there, and at some point I thought, that's enough — I don't want my children, if I ever have any, to grow up in this country."

Giannis N., who preferred not to give his last name, left the Greek island of Samos at the age of 18 to study civil engineering in Germany. He was drawn to Germany due to its strong reputation for offering equal opportunities and upholding social justice.

In 2020, with a master's degree in hand, he decided to return to his homeland after 16 years.

He worked in the western German city of Essen as a project manager in the private sector and later as a civil engineer building bridges in the public sector, before eventually trying his luck as a freelancer.

"I did everything I could to build a life there, but I kept running into barriers," the now 39-year-old told DW.

He recalled one striking example: "I was working on a construction site, and the client refused to pay the final invoice — over 100,000 euros," he said. "His response was: 'I won’t let you get rich here in Germany.'"

Giannis said it was a clear expression of resentment toward his foreign background.

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For him, it was the feeling of never truly being accepted that ultimately led him to leave. Giannis finally made the move after realizing that, no matter how well integrated he was, he would always be seen as "the Greek."

"First you're the lazy Greek at university, then the corrupt Greek at work. I'm proud to be Greek — but the mindset behind it eventually became toxic for me," he said.

The very barriers Giannis N. faced in Germany are echoed in a new study published by the Institute for Employment Research.

Based on a survey of 50,000 migrants who moved to Germany between the ages of 18 and 65, the study found that one in four was considering leaving. Asylum-seekers, who do not yet have recognized residence status........

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