The stories told in the documentary series “Tutunanlar” (Those Who Hold On) (https://www.youtube.com/@tutunanlar_/) reveal a growing but insufficiently discussed problem in Europe, beyond narratives of individual success or adaptation. A significant number of highly educated individuals who have migrated are unable to practice their professions in their home countries. This situation is described in the literature as “brain waste” (https://ec.europa.eu/assets/home/emn-glossary/glossary.html?letters=f&detail=brain+waste).
Salih Taş’s analysis of the “Tutunanlar ” series (https://www.patreon.com/posts/150988042?collection=2007548) reveals a concrete and measurable dimension of this phenomenon. 87 videos from the series were examined, and 74 migrants with clearly identifiable professional backgrounds were included in the analysis. The findings show that only a small percentage of immigrants can continue in their professions, while the vast majority are forced to make a significant career change. According to the analysis, only 18.9% of the participants were able to continue their profession in their new country, while the remaining 81.1% either turned to completely different fields or were forced to work in lower-status positions.
One of the areas where this career shift is most pronounced is the education sector. More than half of the analyzed group have a teaching or academic background. However, a large portion of these individuals are unable to work in the education sector in their new countries. Instead, they are forced to work in low-skilled service-sector jobs or in technical support positions. This situation does not only mean individual career loss; it also means that pedagogical experience, academic knowledge, and intellectual capital are left outside the system. A teacher working as a warehouse worker or an academic working as a driver is more than just an economic mismatch; it is a disruption in knowledge production.
The fact that Germany is the most preferred country for immigrants is also noteworthy in this context. The analysis shows Germany in first place with 36.5%, followed by the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Strong diaspora networks, a robust social welfare system, and reintegration opportunities offered by vocational training systems appear to be key factors in choosing Germany. However, this presents a contradiction. While Germany stands out as a country in need of skilled labor, structural obstacles in diploma recognition and vocational integration processes force a significant portion of immigrants to work outside their fields of expertise. Therefore, integration often occurs through a loss of skills rather than the preservation of existing ones.
International literature shows that these findings are not exceptional, but rather reflect a systematic pattern. According to OECD data, a significant proportion of highly educated migrants work in jobs below their qualifications (https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/indicators-of-immigrant-integration-2023_1d5020a6-en.html). Similarly, OECD data reveal that approximately one-third of highly educated migrants work in overqualified positions (https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/credential-recognition-trends). This situation is reflected not only in employment but also in income levels. Studies in OECD countries have shown that immigrants earn an average of 34% less than the native population when entering the labor market (https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/international-migration-outlook-2025_ae26c893-en/full-report/immigrant-integration-the-role-of-firms_db745b4c.html).
This situation cannot be considered merely an individual adaptation problem. Brain waste is also an economic and academic loss. The inability to effectively utilize the knowledge and skills of highly educated individuals creates inefficiency in the labor market and limits society’s innovation capacity. This loss is even more profound, especially for academics and educators, because it disrupts not only a profession but also knowledge production, critical thinking, and academic continuity.
In the context of forced migration, this process takes on an even more dramatic dimension. Individuals forced to leave their countries due to restrictions on academic freedom, job insecurity, and political pressure must rebuild their professional identities while starting a new life. However, this rebuilding process often does not occur on equal terms. Language barriers, bureaucratic processes, lack of social networks, and structural discrimination make it difficult for these individuals to realize their potential.
The “Tutunanlar ” series is not only a study documenting individual stories but also an important data source that reflects a broader structural problem in the field. These stories point not to the “failure” of migrants, but to how systems position these individuals. Migrants are not unable to find jobs; often, to survive, they are forced to work in jobs far below their qualifications.
The brain drain in countries of origin and the brain waste in accepting countries represent an academic and social loss that is invisible in Europe but has profound effects. This loss is not limited solely to the decline in status experienced by individuals. It also affects societies’ capacity to produce knowledge, the efficiency of institutions, and the continuity of academia. This shows that it is not only people who are displaced, but also knowledge and academic labor.
