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The workers Germany needs the most

Germany's Federal Employment Agency has identified the job sectors the country is most short of workers for. JobTalk looks at where the vacancies lie.

Published: 14 July 2014 15:00 CEST
The workers Germany needs the most
Germany has a particular need for health workers. Photo: DPA

According to a bi-annual study of skilled worker shortages released on Tuesday, Germany is currently lacking employees in 19 sectors. These include both jobs requiring university degrees and those which do not need an academic qualification.  

The report totalled the number of days a position remained vacant for beyond the expected period of hire.

It focused on two fields currently lacking skilled workers: technical occupations, which include positions for software developers and mechanical engineers; and the healthcare sector, which is experiencing a need for geriatric care specialists, doctors and therapists.

"Employers have a very difficult time finding suitable employees in these professions" said the agency's chairman Frank-Jürgen Weise.

Calling all technical workers

Statistics cite a shortage of workers in technical sectors, ranging from employees at the expert level to non-academically trained tradesmen.

The agency's June report of top job vacancies by industry indicated a particular need for workers in metal construction, which had the second highest number of available positions, falling just behind the retail industry.

Approximately 32,400 job vacancies in metal processing and construction were reported to the Employment Agency, a 15.1 percent increase from the previous year.

Germany is also in need of workers in mechanical, energy and electronics occupations. For this group, 30,600 positions were reported in June, up just under one percent from last year.

Where are the vacancies?

Experts in mechatronics, automation and electrical engineering are in particular demand in the regions of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Bremen and Lower Saxony where "vacancy time in these positions is considerably higher than the national average", the report stated.

The need for specialists and non-academically trained workers in these fields remains high in the west of the country.

Those aiming for jobs in Germany's start-up hot spot of Berlin may be interested to learn that the region is currently experience a deficiency in the IT sector in the areas of systems analysis and sales.

Health shortages

The study also cites a need for professionals in healthcare and reported the highest number of vacancies, 28,800, for those in the field of medical health. The category includes doctors, nurses and therapists who now have 6.1 percent more jobs available to them than last year.

Non-medical health professionals, including dental technicians, and specialist orthopaedic and rehabilitation equipment technologists are also in demand – 24,600 jobs are currently available in this area.

New to the growing list of professions in demand are geriatric healthcare specialists, of which there is a shortage in all German states. The situation has "changed very little over the past year", the agency said.

It identified a need for specialist positions in the areas of geriatric rehabilitation, palliative care and oncology.  

Jobseekers outside of the health and technical sectors also have increased opportunity to land positions.

According to the study of June vacancies, retail positions comprise the highest number of vacancies at 34,700.

The tourism industry also has room for over 23,400 additional employees.

SEE ALSO: The ten best expat jobs in Germany

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WORKING IN GERMANY

Five things to know about salaries in Germany

Finding a job is typically a top priority when planning a move to Germany. The country boasts the third largest economy in the world and a continuing need for skilled professionals. 

Published: 2 May 2024 12:26 CEST
Five things to know about salaries in Germany

If you are moving to Germany, you might soon start looking for a job in the country. However, like many other aspects of living abroad, there are several cultural differences and specificities when it comes to job hunting in Germany – especially when it comes to salaries.

Here are five things to know about salaries in Germany.

There is a minimum wage in Germany

Germany’s minimum wage of €12.41 per hour, pre-tax came into effect at the start of this year. This amounts to a monthly salary of €2,054 which ranks ninth in the world. The minimum wage will rise again in 2025 to €12.82 per hour before tax deductions.

There have been calls recently to hike the salary up higher to €14 per hour.

READ ALSO: Millions of workers in Germany ‘earning less than €14 per hour’

Find out salary expectations

Germany does not require companies to list salary ranges for listed positions. But that may be changing soon. The EU parliament passed a wage transparency law to require companies to publish annual reports detailing wage and wage discrepancy information. The rules, which are set to go into effect in 2027, are intended to help close the gender pay gap. 

In the meantime, employees can utilise online resources to find industry averages and expectations for different roles:

  • Gehalt.de offers users access to salary information on more than 800 professions
  • Online platform, Kununu provides compensation information and employer reviews to users in the DACH region  
  • Berlin residents can utilise REDSOFA’s salary survey for an overview of salary averages in the country’s capital city

As of April 2023 the average gross monthly salary was €4,323 according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office.

Two-thirds of full time workers make less than this average monthly salary and one-third of workers earn more than this average monthly salary.

While wages after deductions may be less than similar roles in other countries, it is also important to take into consideration what other benefits come with a salary. Paid holiday leave, pension contributions, long notice periods and annual bonuses can help make up some of that difference. 

READ ALSO: How much do employees in Germany typically earn?

Check your payment schedule

Internationals can usually expect their salary once a month when working in Germany. Many German companies choose to pay employees either on the 1st or 15th of the month. It is also important to note that most employees can expect to receive their first pay check within 30 or 45 days of starting. 

For positions that offer yearly bonuses, these payments are included in a 13th pay check which are subject to income tax.  

A person works on a laptop.

A person works on a laptop. Image by Bartek Zakrzewski from Pixabay

How many hours do you work?

When looking for a job, don’t forget to check how many hours you can expect. Job descriptions will include expectations for time commitments. 

Mini-jobs, as expected from the name, are limited in hours and pay. Employees can expect up to €538 per month. Mini-jobs do not provide social security because they do not require social security contributions. Employees are also not automatically covered by health and nursing care insurance. 

Teilzeit, or part time jobs, are defined as any job where working hours are less than a full time position.

A common misconception is that part-time work requires working 20 hours or less a week. But an employee working five days a week for 30 hours, at a position that is typically 40 hours when full time can also be defined as a part time worker. 

READ ALSO: The rules in Germany around ‘mini’ and ‘midi jobs’

In fact, Germany has a term for workers who work between 28 and 36 hours a week. Vollzeitnahe Teilzeit, or nearly full time part time workers, can be a popular choice for some people, including parents. These positions can give employees more flexibility to balance work and family responsibilities. It is important to note that these workers are paid according to their time worked, so it will still amount to less than full time.

Depending on the work schedule, part time employees can earn the same amount of vacation as their full-time counterparts. That’s because holiday leave is calculated based on days worked, not hours. If a part time worker comes in five days a week, they will be eligible for at least 20 days of holiday. If that same part time worker comes in three days a week, they will be legally entitled to twelve days of vacation, even if they worked the same hours as the other employee. 

In most companies, weekly working hours between 35 and 40 hours are considered full-time employment or Vollzeitbeschäftigung. 

Watch out for the gross v. net difference

Before you sign the dotted line, it will be important to check how much of your gross salary you’ll be able to keep come pay day. Companies that include salary expectations in descriptions include gross salary (Bruttoeinkommen) – not the net income after taxes and deductions (Nettoeinkommen). The amount deducted will depend on how much you earn, the tax class you’re in and on other factors such as how much you’re paying for healthcare but it is usually around 40 percent. 

Salaried employees can find information on the deductions on their pay slip. Some to expect to see include:

  • Taxes are deducted directly from the gross pay. The amount is based on the tax bracket your salary falls within 
  • A percentage of your gross salary is also deducted for your pension / retirement contributions
  • Church taxes between eight and nine percent of your salary will also be due if you are affiliated with a religion
  • Unemployment insurance amounts to a 2.5 percent deduction from your gross salary. It is important to note that the insurance covers a salary up to €90,600 
  • Health insurance contribution rates are typically split between employers and employees. The rate depends on the provider. In 2024, the TK contribution rate to health insurance is 15.8 percent of the gross income

READ ALSO: What you need to know about your payslip in Germany 

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