Germany is undergoing major demographic change with increasingly significant implications for the world of work. According to a forecast in the new study ‘Immigration and the Labour Market’ by the Bertelsmann Foundation, without immigration, Germany’s working population would decline by 10 percent by 2040 and by as much as 20 percent by 2060, meaning that there would be a shortage of around 11.3 million workers.
Social professions such as nursing, but also skilled trades, are particularly affected – professions that are already suffering from shortages today. The shortage of skilled workers can only be addressed through immigration from abroad. Workers who have already arrived are already an important pillar of the labour market.
According to the study, there are three key challenges to be overcome:
1. Lack of housing hinders integration
Insufficient housing makes it difficult to integrate skilled workers – let alone get them to arrive in the first place. Smaller employers in particular find it difficult to take care of their newly recruited foreign employees on top of their day-to-day business.
2. Language as an ongoing problem
Although it is now possible to arrive with limited language skills, learning on the job is challenging and often hardly feasible. There is a lack of time and opportunities. An increase in integration and language courses as well as mentoring programmes would help people settle in. This is especially true for family members who join them later and also find it difficult to find jobs themselves.
3. Our welcoming culture
It is not always easy to feel comfortable in a new social environment after arriving in a new country. More commitment is needed on the part of employers and local services to help new arrivals settle in.