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Germany rejected 27,000 foreigners’ job offers last year: report

Americans and other non-EU citizens who already have job offers in Germany must also have their positions approved by the government. But 27,000 were not so lucky last year, according to a new report.

Published: 3 March 2017 12:35 CET
Updated: 3 March 2017 15:52 CET

Germany rejected 27,000 foreigners' job offers last year: report

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The Federal Employment Agency (BA) denied approval for the job offers of around 27,000 foreigners last year because their work could arguably be performed by a German, or because the job paid too little, according to the Rheinische Post on Friday.

That figure was more than double the number from two years before.

The newspaper cited a government response to a parliamentary question from the Green party.

Over the past two years, the number of applications for job offer approvals from refugees and other non-EU citizens has risen greatly, according to the BA.

The number of requests that were approved roughly tripled, from about 68,000 in 2014 to 215,000 in 2016.

During this time, Germany has seen a record number of immigrants enter the country, including more than a million asylum seekers. Between 2014 and 2015, 2.14 million immigrants from around the world arrived in total, about 57 percent of whom came from another European country.

After receiving a job offer in Germany, foreigners who need a residence permit to stay in the country must also have that offer approved by the Employment Agency. The BA examines whether the job could also be performed by a German or another EU citizen – a process referred to as a “priority test”.

SEE ALSO: The easiest visas to get as an American in Germany

For refugees, the BA reviews whether the job offers them less favorable conditions than comparable German workers.

Last August, the requirement that Germans be given priority for jobs was mostly suspended for refugees for three years to give them better chances for finding jobs. Since then just 6 percent of refugee job offers are now rejected, compared to 40 percent previously.

Green party politician Volker Beck said there is still room for improvement.

“The bureaucratic priority test should be abolished as much as possible,” Beck said.

SEE ALSO: How to get German citizenship – or just stay forever

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions.

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds.

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local.

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with.

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