Germany to hire 60,000 workers from outside EU as part of new immigration plan. Check details here

Germany introduced draft reforms on Wednesday regarding immigration, skills training and promoting immigration from Western Balkan countries to address labour shortages in Europe’s largest economy. Labour Minister Hubertus Heil stated, “securing our skilled labour base is one of Germany’s biggest economic tasks for the coming decades”.

According to the Labour Ministry, the number of job vacancies was at a record high of close to 2 million in 2022. These reforms can be proved beneficial as they will help in removing obstacles for migrant workers, specifically for those who are not from the European Union.

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Finance Minister Christian Lindner said that the law would lay the foundation for a new start in migration policy and that anyone who could contribute to the country’s economic success as a skilled worker is welcome. The draft law proposes to increase the number of workers from countries outside the EU by 60,000 people per year.

The law will offer three pathways for foreign workers to enter the country:

1.The first requires a degree which is recognised in Germany and should be accompanied by an employment contract.

2.The second requires a minimum of two years of experience working in a relevant sector and a degree or vocational training.

3. The third is a new ‘ opportunity card’ for individuals who have the potential to find work, based on a points-based system that considers qualifications, language skills, professional experience, connection to Germany and age.

Earlier a report claimed that by 2035, Germany will be short some 7 million skilled workers. However, migration expert Herbert Bruecker told Reuters that while the draft law contained sensible ideas, it was not far-reaching enough. He said that the requirements of the opportunity card were too complex for a temporary visa to look for work.

The German cabinet has also approved an education law that entitles young people to paid off-the-job training, with the Federal Labour Agency paying up to 67 per cent of the net salary for the duration of the training.

In addition to this, the Cabinet has also decided to extend regulations for job-seekers from Albania, Bosnia-Herzengovina, Kosovo, the Republic of Northern Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia, which were previously expected to expire at the end of the year.

Germany can now recruit up to 50,000 workers annually from these countries as compared to the previous 25,000 workers per year.

(With inputs from agencies)

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