The Migration of Doctors from Turkey to Germany

Executive Summary

This IPC–Mercator analysis shows a sharp rise in physician mobility from Turkey to Germany. Requests for the Turkish Medical Association’s “good standing certificate” increase from 59 (2012) to 3,025 (2023), while the number of actively practicing Turkish-citizen doctors in Germany climbs steadily after 2011, reaching 1,889 in 2022 (with a peak annual growth of 22.8% in 2021–2022). The report links this trend to worsening working conditions in Turkey and Germany’s growing demand for foreign physicians, calling for policy action on both sides.

Conclusion

The numbers from both Turkey and Germany exhibit the growing trend of Turkish doctors practicing in Germany. Even though the share of Turkish doctors does not take the lead among the number of immigrant doctors in Germany by country, the share of Turkish doctors can be expected to increase even more in the upcoming years. This should initiate policymakers both in Turkey and in Germany to take action accordingly and plan policies ahead of time. While Turkey should reevaluate the working conditions of doctors, Germany should make both the transition, relocation, and integration of immigrant doctors, including those emigrating from Turkey, more attractive and smoother.