The exodus of hundreds of thousands of skilled workers from Bulgaria and Romania has largely helped Germany's labour market, especially in sectors such as medicine, a Deutsche Welle article says.

It cites official data from the Bulgarian Academy of Science, which estimates the country will have lost some 40 000 qualified workers "in five to ten years".

Estimates are also quoted from German statistics darabase Statista according to which 225 000 Bulgarians lived in Germany as of 2015, "many with an above average education."

"Lack of skilled workers has become clearer over time" in both Bulgaria and Romania, even though both countries profit from remittances sent home.

The medical sector is particularly affected, with thousands of Romanian and Bulgarian medical specialists working in Germany.

However, DW also notes that "German clinics have profited greatly from the influx of specialists from Eastern Europe: "Brain drain" for some is "brain gain" for others."

The full story is available here.