People who leave Germany permanently become more satisfied with their lives, a long-term study by the German Federal Institute for Population Studies (BIB) has found.
Presented on December 18 in Wiesbaden, Germany, the report stated that, on a scale of happiness from 0 to 10, emigration leads to an average increase of half a point.
“This is a remarkable increase,” said BIB researcher Nico Stawarz. “It is twice as high as the increase after a move within Germany or the birth of a child.”
The highest rise in life satisfaction was among those who took the decision to emigrate themselves, rather than following a spouse abroad, for instance.
With 0.6 points the increase was greatest among single people. “The opportunity to incorporate personal preferences and needs into the migration decision plays a central role in increasing life satisfaction,” said Heiko Rüger, co-author of the study.
Among spouses who followed their partners abroad, there were no statistical differences in happiness post-emigration for men or women.
According to the study, life satisfaction remained elevated for up to two years after emigration.
Following that, the effect is less. The researchers hypothesised that was due to people getting accustomed to living abroad or changing perceptions of their stay overseas.
Data for the study was collected between 2017 and 2022. The recent economic downturn in Germany therefore did not impact the results.
In 2023, around 265,000 Germans left their home country, according to the German Federal Statistical Office. Only 191,000 had returned.
