A study by the Bertelsmann Foundation highlights Germany’s pressing need for 288,000 skilled workers annually to sustain economic growth, underscoring the country’s significant reliance on foreign labor. The study also reveals that immigration is preventing a 10% decline in Germany’s workforce, which could drop from 46.4 million to 41.9 million by 2040 without an influx of skilled workers, as reported by Schengen.News.
The departure of the baby boomer generation from the workforce poses significant challenges, with projections suggesting that as many as 368,000 immigrant workers could be required annually to meet labor demands by 2040.
Regional Disparities in Workforce Impact
Cities like Hamburg and Berlin, which host larger immigrant populations, are less vulnerable to workforce shrinkage. In contrast, southern regions such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg are expected to face greater challenges, while North Rhine-Westphalia may experience the largest workforce losses, according to DW.
Efforts to Attract Immigrants
Germany is actively improving living conditions and simplifying migration processes to attract more foreign workers. However, despite these efforts, many immigrants report dissatisfaction with the treatment they receive.
Concerns Over Welcoming Culture
A Syrian refugee who has lived in Germany since 2016 and holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in IT expressed disappointment with his experience, citing racism and lack of societal acceptance.
“I gave my very best to be considered an equal, but I felt discrimination and rejection. I want to be treated as an equal, but I’m not going to beg for it,” the 30-year-old IT specialist shared, stating his intention to move to Switzerland.
The Bertelsmann study emphasizes that a lack of a welcoming culture and limited prospects for long-term residency could deter foreign workers from staying in Germany, further exacerbating labor shortages.
Immigrant Demographics
According to Destatis, Germany’s statistics office, 12.2 million residents were born abroad. The majority come from European countries (8.3 million), followed by Asia (2.7 million) and Africa (647,665).
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