In the first half of this year, the German Federal Foreign Office issued over 80,000 visas to individuals seeking employment in Germany. More than half of the visas — about 40,000 — were issued to skilled workers, German public broadcaster ARD reported in its news program Tagesschau on Sunday (July 28).

Government statistics show that during the same period last year, Germany issued about 37,000 work visas. Throughout all of last year, over 157,000 employment visas were issued. Almost half, or about 79,000, went to skilled workers.

The leniency in issuing work visas is part of Germany’s aggressive strategy to plug in workforce shortages by recruiting talent from abroad. According to economists, Germany needs about 1.5 million workers across different industries for it to maintain its stature as a European powerhouse.

Changes in the Skilled Immigration Act, which came into effect in stages starting November last year, were designed to lower the barriers to immigration of skilled workers from countries outside the European Union.

However, business associations have reportedly not been able to benefit from the economic boost that skilled immigration is expected to bring.

Business leaders emphasize the importance of not just legislative changes but also cultural shifts in welcoming and integrating foreign workers. They argue that a comprehensive approach, combining streamlined visa processes with a supportive and inclusive environment, is essential for Germany to become a more attractive career destination for skilled talents from all over the world.

Work on welcoming culture

In 2022, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which is comprised of 37 countries from around the world committed to promoting economic growth, polled nearly 29,000 potential skilled workers who had expressed interest in working in Germany. The survey, which was commissioned by the German Federal Foreign Office, showed that follow-up interviews conducted a year later showed that only 5 percent had moved to Germany. The survey was conducted among people who live in Turkey, India, and Colombia.

The barriers that contributed to workers abandoning plans to work in Germany include learning the German language and the duration of visa procedures. For others, not having the financial means to pursue immigration plans was also a major obstacle to moving to Germany. The participants surveyed said they would like more support to learn German and more assistance with finding a job.

Thomas Liebig of the OECD told Tagesschau that the gap between the desire to work in Germany and the reality could be attributed to difficulties in contacting German employers and significant bottlenecks in the visa process abroad.

Peter Adrian, President of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), added that a culture that is welcoming and inclusive of migrant workers starts with visa processes but must also include other aspects of integration such as shelter and child care support.

Speaking to Tagesschau, Adrian said that Germany’s welcome message to those considering the country as a career post should include: “We are pleased to be able to welcome you here in Germany.”

Employment, key indicator of integration

Meanwhile, the OECD study showed that Germany is making strong progress in integrating migrants through workforce participation. The study noted that employment is a key indicator of effective integration.

According to the report, about 70 percent of migrants in Germany have found employment, a figure that is higher than in nearly all other EU countries and a record for Germany.

According to the OECD study, about 8 percent of migrants move to Germany for work, with the largest number, or about 57 percent, coming to Germany because of the cross-country mobility open to citizens of European Union member states. Intra-EU free mobility accounted for around half of the 640,000 immigrants who entered Germany on a long-term or permanent basis in 2022, according to the OECD.

Germany is the second-largest recipient of immigrants overall among OECD countries, only behind the United States.