In 2021 Germany had 295,000 non-EU migrant workers. Indians were 33,900 or 11% of all non-EU workers with a temporary residence permit in Germany. The Chinese reached 16,700 (6%)
The number of fixed-term contract workers from countries outside the European Union has tripled in the past decade in Germany, according to figures from the federal statistics office (Destatis).
In 2021 Germany had 295,000 non-EU migrant workers. Indians were 33,900 or 11% of all non-EU workers with a temporary residence permit in Germany. The Chinese reached 16,700 (6%), according to Destatis.
Almost one in four non-EU workers were highly skilled and Blue Card holders. This license has been in effect since 2012 in the EU, with the aim of addressing the shortage of highly skilled workers in its member countries. The conditions for obtaining it include a university degree and a job offer with a gross annual income of at least 56,400 euros.
In sectors with a particularly serious shortage of skilled labor, such as Medicine and IT, the minimum gross annual income is 43,992 euros. By the end of 2021, almost half of the Blue Card holders working in Germany belonged to this category, according to Destatis.
Germany plans to lower the income limit for new graduates applying for a Blue Card, Labor Minister Hubertus Heil and Interior Minister Nancy Fesser announced. “In this way, we make it easier for well-educated young people to start their careers in Germany,” they said in an article in the German newspaper Handelsblatt, explaining that “we must open our doors to those with skills and professional experience.”
A few days ago, the German government approved a further relaxation of immigration policy for jobseekers, in a piece of legislation that remains to be ratified by parliament. Among other things, it provides for simplification of the procedures for obtaining a residence permit and easier access to social integration programs.
Last year, Germany also recorded a 19% increase in the number of workers from EU member states compared to the 1.65 million reported in a Destatis report in 2017. Almost one in four were from Poland, while Romanians and Italians.
In total, regardless of nationality and current residence permit, around 2.72 million people residing in Germany in 2021 had declared “work” as the main reason for immigrating to that country, according to the Destatis report.
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Germany’s skilled labor shortage has worsened in some industries, such as aviation. Indicative are, moreover, the problems faced by airports and airlines throughout Europe, with flight cancellations and long waiting times for travelers.
RES-EMP
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