Germany Cries for Workforce
Germany is Europe’s largest economy. It is "a bastion of strength in the fragile euro zone," The Ukrainian Crisis led to the Russian energy squeeze which pushed Germany almost into recession. But it still remains a blossoming land of opportunity for immigrants. It is now the top immigrant destination in Europe and only second to the U.S. in the world. An acute labour shortage looms in this country.
Labour shortage in Germany
The labor shortage is doubled because Germany is an aging country. Currently, the median age of the German population is 46 years!! It makes the country one of the oldest in the world. The low fertility rate and increasing life expectancy have resulted in a rapidly ageing population. The German birth rate is one of the lowest in the world. The population would have been shrinking since 1972 with more deaths than births in every year since then. Germany's birth or fertility rates have been well below global and even European averages ever since the Second World War
Germany needs immigrants and it needs them urgently. The country is growing and thriving in part because it has laid out welcome mats for people wanting the "German dream" whereas the American immigration system is today stuck in a limbo. The country has radically simplified the immigration process for educated E.U., Specific policies are tempting foreign individuals to seek out Germany's employment opportunities and transition programs. E.U. nationals can easily migrate between the 28 nations. But Germany went beyond that measure by instituting a "Blue Card" system in 2013 where anyone "with a university degree and a job offer with a minimum salary of $50,000 to $64,000 a year, depending on the field" can immigrate .Additionally, Germany had invested $609 Million in a program targeting unemployed European 18- to 35-year- olds, where the country pays for almost all of their assimilation including travel, language classes and accommodations during job training. Although this scheme had to be discontinued, it brought in a lot of immigrants.
Occupations in demand in Germany in 2022
- IT Specialists
- Scientists
- Electrical Engineers
- Data Scientists/Analysts
- Nurses and Senior Care Workers
- Software Developers
- IT Consultants/Analysts
- Mathematicians
- Engineers
- Mechanical and Vehicle Engineers
- Doctors
- Electronics Technicians or Electricians
- Civil Engineers
- Mechatronics Engineers
The constant demand for specialists in STEM professions is seen in Germany. Highly qualified workers in other fields too are in demand for working in innovative industries in Germany. It’s noteworthy that the German government has reduced the minimum salary required for EU Blue Card eligibility. Such a move enables third-country workers to access job opportunities in Germany much better.