Big Greek Doctor Exodus to Germany

The best Greek scientists are moving abroad, with Germany being their top destination. The Greek government announces every day the coming of the long awaited development, but statistics show another reality.

According to Professor of Economic Geography of the University of Macedonia, Lois Lamprianidis, more than 120,000 Greek scientists left Greece over the last years.

Labrianidis who has been observing the brain drain phenomenon, highlights that at the end of 2010, 10% of Greece’s scientific personnel was living abroad, while at the moment more than 300,000 scientists and specialists are about to seek their professional future outside Greece.

Based on data released by Germany, more than 35,000 skilled Greeks settled in the country recently, while 25,000 more are expected to move to Germany by 2015.

The president of the Department of Social Policy of Panteion University, John Kouzis emphasized that Berlin drains the European South recruiting specialists at a very low cost. At the same time, countries like Greece pay an average of more than 84,000 euros for training to become a doctor. After completing studies in Greece, doctors will probably migrate to Germany for their specialty and later stay there to work.