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IMMIGRATION

How Germany is set to make it easier for non-EU skilled workers to enter the labour market

Germany is desperate to attract skilled workers from abroad and fill vacancies. Here's how the action plan is shaping up.

Published: 16 December 2019 11:40 CET
Updated: 16 December 2019 17:45 CET
How Germany is set to make it easier for non-EU skilled workers to enter the labour market
Archive photo shows a skilled worker in Bremen. Photo: DPA

Germany is targeting a range of countries to attract skilled workers, Detlef Scheele, the head of the Federal Employment Agency (BA), said on Monday.

“The Federal Employment Agency will conclude further partner agreements on simplified labour migration to Germany with other countries, such as those we already have with the Philippines or Mexico,” Scheele told DPA. The main focus at the moment is to fill vacancies in the care sector.

The government is looking to countries such as India, Vietnam and Brazil.

Earlier this year, Germany passed the Skilled Workers Immigration Act, which comes into force on March 1st, 2020. It aims to make it easier for skilled workers from non-EU countries to come to Germany.

The new package of laws, passed on June 7th this year, aims to attract foreign skilled vocational workers with German language skills, including those from outside the EU, and promises them eased visa procedures and reduced red tape.

READ ALSO: What Germany's new controversial immigration laws mean for foreigners

On Monday, a summit was held in Berlin to discuss how best to put the new legislation into practice.

Calls for a central unit and specialized staff to help up speed up the visa process will be discussed, as well as plans for German language training to be expanded to would-be workers in their countries of origin.

The government wants to attract qualified people from outside the EU – such as cooks, metal workers, nurses, builders and IT technicians – in a bid to address the shortage of skilled workers in many regions and industries across Germany.

“The law on the immigration of skilled workers must now be filled with life,” said Scheele. “Structures must be set up so that the recognition of vocational qualifications acquired abroad functions smoothly,” said Scheele. 

Germany's employment agency is set to set up a service centre to help facilitate this process.

“However, it is important to us not to take away the skilled workers from other countries, but to work together with them in a targeted manner,” added Scheele.

READ ALSO: Explained: How Germany plans to fight its drastic shortage of care workers

Merkel calls for skilled workers

German Chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in on this topic in her weekly podcast. She said the worker shortage could drive companies out of Germany.

“We know that many sectors and businesses are looking for skilled workers,” the Chancellor said. “Without sufficient skilled workers, a business location cannot be successful.

“That is why it is necessary for us to make every effort to recruit a sufficient number of specialists. Otherwise, companies will have to migrate – and, of course, we do not want that.”

The shortage of skilled workers in Germany will become even more noticeable in the future, experts say, and that's why the planned measures to ease immigration are coming into force next year.

“At the same time, however, we must also make the best possible use of the domestic potential in order to secure skilled workers for the future,” added Scheele of the employment agency.

He said work must be done with people who are long-term unemployed to get them into work.

 

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Bavaria is no doubt a beautiful state with a strong economy, but can be a hard place for non-German speakers to integrate. The Local takes a look at job opportunities in Germany’s southeastern 'Free State.'

Published: 7 February 2024 10:54 CET
Updated: 10 February 2024 08:20 CET
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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