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Article: Germany opens doors to Indians, but some trip over language barrier
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Date: October 20th, 2025 3:08 PM Author: AZNgirl asking Othani why he didn't hit 4 homers Germany opens doors to Indians, but some trip over language barrier Cultural differences, anti-immigration sentiment send some migrants packing
KANIKA GUPTA October 12, 2025 18:43 JST NEW DELHI -- Indian migration is a "success story" for Germany, an influential think tank linked to Europe's largest economy said recently, but experts and some who made the move say the language barrier and anti-immigration sentiment make it difficult to stay.
"India is the most important country of origin for labor and education migration," the German Institute for International and Security Affairs said in research published last month. Indian nationals living in Germany have tripled to 280,000 in 2025 over the past decade, while Indian students have surpassed 50,000. Germany has become attractive in recent years thanks to the bilateral migration and mobility partnership signed in 2022, as Berlin opens its doors to highly skilled Indians to try to meet the demands of an aging population. The U.S. crackdown on visas for skilled workers also has pushed Indians to look elsewhere. Yet some who emigrated say they struggle to fit in. Aakriti Dhawan, 30, moved to Germany in 2019 to pursue a postgraduate journalism degree and now splits her time between the two countries. Though she holds a German work permit, the freelance journalist often returns to India because of the challenges of fitting in and because she gets homesick. "Germany is a difficult country, and you have to adapt ... to survive there," she told Nikkei Asia in Delhi. "I feel more attached to my Indian roots, culture, making it harder for me to sustain a life there." Dhawan is unsure when she will return to Hamburg. Dhawan, who doesn't speak German, has faced unpleasant episodes in her adoptive country. She recalled being shoved by a colleague during a dispute. Dhawan's manager did not support her, saying instead, "This is not India. This is Deutschland." Across Europe, weak economic growth and persistent inflation have led to rising resentment against foreigners. In Germany, hate crimes nearly doubled to 17,007 cases in 2023 from 2019, according to latest data published by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, which has 57 member states. Susanne Schultz, an expert in democracy and cohesion at think tank Bertelsmann Stiftung, said most Germans view migration negatively. "The last [study] in 2023 showed a considerable downturn in how people see the benefits of migration," she said. Migration was considered harmful by 70%-75% of those surveyed, as they thought it "is creating more conflict" and "harming the social state." The far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany party, or AfD, has influenced the political discourse by harnessing voter discontent and blaming the fall in their living standards on immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers, a narrative also playing out in France and the U.K. The AfD was seen as an outlier in German politics until recently, but it has become the second-largest political party. "Migration is kind of presented and seen as the mother of all problems," Schultz said. alt Protesters near the Reichstag in Berlin in February oppose plans to limit migration. Though the populist AfD party has gained ground, many Germans remain wary of its anti-immigration stance. © Reuters Yet research from the German Economic Institute shows that the country will face a shortage of 768,000 skilled workers by 2028, up from 487,000 in 2024. India, with one of the world's youngest and most dynamic workforces, has met some of this demand. But another study by the Institute for Employment Research showed that 6%-11% of foreign nationals left Germany annually between 2014 and 2023. "Germany is a global economy and wants migrants, yet legal and professional systems are only in German," said Dhawan, citing bilingual systems in India. Fatih Zingal, an immigration lawyer and German politician, said it was "unsurprising" that people leave, "given the levels of everyday discrimination, social exclusion and lack of acceptance they face." Both sides can do more, he said, recommending better integration counseling, funding for local support as well as training officials in intercultural sensitivity. Arpan Tulsyan, senior research fellow at Indian think tank Observer Research Foundation, said the Indian government should prepare skilled migrants about social realities before they move to Germany to help them integrate. Bilateral agreements should include measures to protect migrant rights, Tulsyan said, with stronger welfare and protective policies for the diaspora. "This is not just about economics, but about society," she said. For some, though, the draw of family finally wins out even if they have made a life in Germany. Brunda Aralappa, 30, who lived and worked in Germany for eight years, moved back to Bengaluru this year after becoming a mother. Aralappa said racism was rare in her experience and her Indian identity often brought her visibility at work. But she and her husband decided to return due to restrictive German policies that prevented their parents from settling in the country. "It was a very emotional decision," she said. "During my pregnancy, when our parents and in-laws visited, we realized how important family bonding is for our child. Germany offers a great quality of life, but it cannot provide that closeness with family." Kanika Gupta is a contributing writer. |