Onward Migration from Germany to Austria: Why Do High-Skilled Migrants Leave?

Recently Germany passed reforms to the Skilled Immigration Act facilitating the process of gaining permanent residency for skilled migrants. However, many migrants upon their arrival to Germany decide to leave the country and move elsewhere. The most popular destinations were Austria, Switzerland, and the USA. Apart from cultural and historical heritage, Germany and Austria both have relatively strict integration regimes that hardly promote the long-term integration of migrants. This paper focuses on why the high-skilled migrants decide to move from Germany to Austria and whether these onward movers are largely attracted by better employment opportunities in Austria or by the chance of stronger social integration. The interviews also highlight the differences between Germany and Austria that influence migrants’ decision making.