Germany is facing growing difficulty in retaining European Union migrants, even as they remain vital to the country’s labour market, according to a new study presented by the Labour Ministry.

For years, skilled migration has helped sustain Europe’s largest economy. However, research by the EU Equal Treatment Office shows that a significant share of EU citizens leave Germany within four years of arrival. The findings raise concerns about the country’s ability to address persistent labour shortages.

“We cannot afford to lose a third of EU citizens due to poor conditions,” said Natalie Pawlik, the Federal Government Commissioner for Integration, as she presented the report in Berlin.

Although Germany continues to record annual immigration inflows of between 400,000 and 700,000 people, it also sees high levels of emigration among EU nationals. The study suggests that work and living conditions are not compelling enough to persuade many migrants to settle long term.

A separate analysis by the German Economic Institute in November 2025 found that more than 260,000 positions remained unfilled across the ten sectors facing the most acute shortages. Healthcare alone accounts for around 46,000 vacancies. Construction and public administration are also struggling to recruit qualified staff.

Valeria Quispe, an expert at the institute, said bottlenecks in healthcare are contributing to longer waiting times for appointments, while staff shortages in construction are slowing residential building projects. She noted that although the economic slowdown has eased labour pressures slightly, structural shortages persist.

EU citizens typically move to Germany for better job prospects, higher wages and legal stability. Romania is the largest source country, followed by Poland and Bulgaria. Italy, Hungary and Spain also contribute sizeable numbers of workers. Almost three quarters of recent EU immigrants have come from countries that gained full freedom of movement within the past 10 to 15 years.

Yet immigration from several key EU countries declined in 2024. Inflows from Croatia, Poland and Bulgaria dropped sharply, and net migration from other EU states fell to just 38,735, down nearly 67 per cent from the previous year.

Interviews conducted for the study highlight why many migrants consider leaving. High living costs, bureaucratic hurdles and limited recognition of qualifications were frequently cited. Nearly 39 per cent of respondents said they did not feel comfortable in Germany, while about half reported experiencing discrimination at work.

The study concluded that stronger labour market integration, better housing access and a more welcoming environment could improve retention. Employment growth in recent years has been driven largely by non-EU nationals, according to the Federal Employment Agency, as Germany’s ageing population sees increasing numbers of baby boomers retire.

A suspected drone strike hit a British military base in Cyprus shortly after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the United Kingdom had agreed to allow the United States to use its bases for attacks on Iran’s missiles and launch sites, marking the first apparent impact of the Iran war on European soil.

The UK Ministry of Defence said a drone struck RAF Akrotiri, a key Royal Air Force base on Cyprus’ southern coast, just after midnight on Monday. British Defence Secretary John Healey told officials that ballistic missiles had been fired toward Cyprus around the same time. He said there were no casualties.

Cyprus confirmed the incident, describing it as involving an unmanned drone that caused limited damage at the base. Government spokesperson Constantinos Letymbiotis said the event occurred shortly after midnight and that authorities were assessing the situation. He did not provide further operational details.

RAF Akrotiri is one of the UK’s most strategically important overseas bases and has played a role in regional security operations. The reported strike comes amid rising tensions following US and Israeli attacks on Iranian military targets and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.

Earlier, Starmer confirmed that the UK had agreed to permit the US to use British bases for operations targeting Iran’s missile systems and launch infrastructure. The decision signaled deeper British involvement in efforts to counter Iran’s military capabilities.

European leaders condemned Iran’s recent attacks. In a joint statement, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz strongly criticised Iranian strikes on countries in the region and said they would take steps to defend their interests and those of their allies. They indicated that defensive measures could include proportionate action aimed at stopping missile and drone launches at their source.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, suggested in a television interview that some of the country’s military units were acting independently under general pre-issued instructions. His comments came after questions about Iranian strikes on Gulf Arab nations that have previously mediated between Tehran and Western powers.

Iran has launched attacks against Qatar, which shares a major offshore gas field with the Islamic Republic and has played a diplomatic role in regional negotiations. The United Arab Emirates and Oman have also been targeted. Oman had recently served as an intermediary in nuclear discussions between Iran and the United States.

The strike on RAF Akrotiri underscores the widening scope of the conflict, with military actions now extending beyond the Middle East and into European territory linked to allied operations.