Vast Majority of EU Migrants in Germany Report Discrimination

(MENAFN) A government-commissioned study has found that the vast majority of European Union citizens living in Germany have experienced some form of discrimination or exclusion — with nationals from Romania and Bulgaria among the most affected, according to research carried out by the University of Tübingen.

The findings paint a striking picture of the challenges facing EU migrants in one of Europe's largest economies. Lead researcher Bernhard Boockmann revealed that just 23% of respondents reported never having felt disadvantaged or excluded. By contrast, 63% said they experienced such feelings rarely or occasionally, while 14% said discrimination was a frequent or near-constant reality.

Boockmann noted that practical concerns — particularly around employment — ranked among the most pressing issues cited by EU nationals living in Germany.

Natalie Pawlik, Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration and a sitting member of the Bundestag, weighed in on the findings, directing sharp criticism at sectors such as elderly care, where many migrant workers are reportedly employed well below their actual qualification levels due to the non-recognition of foreign credentials.

Pawlik also took aim at the systematic exclusion of EU citizens from integration and language courses — a policy she argued directly undermines social participation and economic mobility. She said the restriction currently affects around 130,000 people, including approximately 37,000 EU citizens who have lost access to integration courses entirely.

The survey, commissioned by the German government and conducted via social media, underscores growing concerns about the treatment of intra-EU migrants at a time when Germany continues to grapple with broader debates over immigration, labor shortages, and social cohesion.

MENAFN04032026000045017169ID1110815831