“Without diversity, there are many missing”: hospitals show what Germany would be like without immigrant workers

A staircase full of healthcare professionals and a question: “What would Germany be like without immigrants?” This is how the videos that have been circulating on social media in Germany begin. The same staircase, now almost empty, is the answer.

Immigration, or in this case “remigration”, was one of the main topics discussed during the campaign for the 2025 legislative elections. Germany received more than 1.9 million immigrants in 2023, according to data from the latest Migration Report released by the country.

The AfD (Alternative for Germany) has driven the narrative of expelling immigrants and people from other cultures. This is how the far-right party introduced the term “remigration” , referring to the expulsion of illegal immigrants by legal means. The term is often used in far-right circles to refer to the expulsion of foreign citizens.

However, the lack of immigrant workers would have a cost for the country's economy and services — this is what the videos that have emerged among health workers, especially those who depend on immigrant workers, warn about.

In 2024, Germany joined the EU Blue Card , which aims to facilitate the entry of highly qualified workers into the country. Among the professionals who are eligible for this visa are doctors, nurses and caregivers for the elderly and people with disabilities.

Around 15 percent of doctors and nurses in Germany are foreign nationals and play an essential role in the functioning of hospitals, nursing homes and medical practices, according to the report presented by seven German hospitals. “Immigrant specialists are indispensable, especially in rural areas, to ensure basic care,” it recalls.

“Political debates about ‘remigration’ and ‘mass deportations’ are contributing to uncertainty and leaving many foreign colleagues questioning their future. This loss of skilled workers would be devastating for our healthcare system,” the report explains.

“Our hospital is a place where people of different backgrounds, skin color, religion and gender come together to save lives. We belong together and we need each other!” wrote a clinic that joined the trend, also calling for an informed vote regarding each party’s immigration policies.

According to the Emigration Observatory , an independent technical and research structure integrated into the Center for Research and Studies in Sociology (CIES) at Iscte, in 2023 there were around 140 thousand Portuguese people living in Germany.