Labour shortages in Germany: Important countries to consider as a Global Acquisition Manager
Many companies in Germany have been struggling with labour shortages for years. 2022 saw around 1.98 million job vacancies – the highest figure ever recorded. According to the German Federal Employment Agency, the German economy could face a shortage of a whopping 7 million skilled workers by 2035.
But there’s hope in the form of the new Skilled Immigration Act of 2023. One of its goals is to cut down on the bureaucratic obstacles associated with the previous Skilled Immigration Act. Also, foreign skilled workers with relevant training and experience will be able to apply for their professional recognition procedure whilst already living in Germany. The updated Act also introduces the so-called Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte). Based on a points system similar to Canada’s, it has the potential to help turn Germany into a modern immigration nation.
In this guide, we’ll look at 3 country examples through the lens of a Global Acquisition manager. We’ll explore each country's skilled labour potential and how its workers could be integrated into a variety of sectors in Germany to strengthen its economy and prosperity long-term.
Germany’s immigration potential
To combat the personnel shortage in Germany, it’s important to consider training for domestic workers and those returning to work after parental leave. But according to Hubertus Heil, Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs, these measures won’t suffice: “We also need qualified immigration.”
As an immigration nation, Germany already has plenty of potential here. Nancy Faeser, Federal Minister of the Interior and Community, says: “We want skilled workers to be able to come to Germany and get started without all the bureaucratic hurdles. We’ll make it possible for them to get whatever extra qualification they need so they can enter the German labour market.”
Country examples: Morocco, India & Brazil
Morocco, India and Brazil are among the countries that Germany’s targeting in its search for skilled workers. In the following, we’ll have a look at some key data and explore each of these countries’ skilled labour potential:
- Population: 37.1 million (as of 2021)
- Official languages: Arabic, French, Tamazight
- Proportion of the population aged 15-64: 66 percent
- Good to know: Morocco’s education system is similar to the French one because of its colonial past.
According to the German Federal Employment Agency, 86,000 Moroccan citizens live in Germany (as of 2021). Of those, 36,000 are employed and pay monthly social security contributions. The online platform Make it in Germany has been running campaigns in Morocco to promote Germany as an attractive country to live and work in.
The top 3 most common qualifications in Morocco are:
• doctor
• nurse/healthcare professional
• midwife.
Other common professions include:
• IT specialist
• electronics technician for automation technology
• technician.
In July 2023, Maghreb-Post announced that 10,000 Moroccan specialists had been recruited to build fibre optic networks in Germany.
Together with Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany, Svenja Schulze, Hubertus Heil plans to open a migration and development centre in Morocco, as they’ve already done in Ghana.
- Population: 1.4 billion (as of 2021)
- Official languages: Hindi, English
- Proportion of the population aged 15-64: 68 percent
- Good to know: India has state, semi-state and private school forms, resulting in varying degrees of education quality per region. However, all vocational training institutions are advised and represented by the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE).
172,000 Indian citizens live in Germany, over 99,000 of whom are employed and contributing to social security payments (as of 2021).
The top 3 most common professional qualifications in India are:
• nurse/healthcare professional
• doctor
• dentist.
According to the German business and financial newspaper Handelsblatt, Indian healthcare professionals are being recruited specifically to help reduce staff shortages in the German healthcare sector.
Germany also has many IT specialists from India. A big benefit here is the English-centric nature of the job: being able to speak German isn’t a must when you’re starting out. German chancellor Scholz seconds this.
"Whoever comes to Germany as an IT professional can easily converse with all their colleagues in English, because many people in Germany can speak English."
- Population: 214.3 million (as of 2021)
- Official language: Portuguese
- Proportion of the population aged 15-64: 70 percent
- Good to know: Many apprenticeship-based jobs in Germany call for a graduate degree in Brazil. These include professions in healthcare, catering, hotel management, housekeeping, cosmetics, and event management.
There are 51,000 Brazilian citizens living in Germany (as of 2021). Over half of them are employed and subject to social security contributions.
The top 3 most common professional qualifications in Brazil are:
• doctor
• nurse/healthcare professional
• physical therapist.
Brazil has a lot of potential for skilled labour in the healthcare sector. According to the German newspaper Zeit Online, Annalena Baerbock (Minister for Foreign Affairs) and Hubertus Heil are recruiting skilled workers from Brazil and South America: “Germany welcomes Brazilian carers with open arms. We’re looking to grow this partnership,” says Baerbock.
Germany-based companies have been facing a severe skilled labour shortage for many years. With the updated Skilled Immigration Act, the German government is attempting to make it easier for foreign skilled workers to work in Germany and help strengthen its economy long-term. Using Morocco, India and Brazil as examples, we can see the potential of integrating foreign workers in Germany, particularly in healthcare and IT.
About the author
Belinda Grace, Content Writer
Belinda has been working with the lingoking marketing team since early 2022. She’s in charge of researching and writing social media posts as well as blog and website content, focusing on language and marketing. Her motto: “Begin each day as if it were on purpose“.
