Germany is looking for trained workers, and the labor market is increasingly relying on foreigners. Despite the pandemic, German authorities recognized more diplomas last year than before. BiH and Serbia are at the top of the list.
The largest share of skilled foreign workers came from European countries outside the European Union. The global list of about 150 countries is led by Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by Serbia.
Namely, the German authorities recognized 3,600 requests for nostrification from BiH and 3,400 from Serbia. Syria is in third place with 3,100 recognized requests.
As before, medics are most in demand – about two thirds of recognized diplomas are from that branch. This includes about 15,500 caregivers and nurses, as well as 7,600 doctors. About 3,300 more teachers and educators, as well as some 2,500 engineers, recognized the diplomas of German officials.
Although the number of recognized applications is growing, German statisticians also note that last year fewer people requested nostrification of their diplomas – some three percent less than in 2019.
“Urgently needed” workforce
German Minister of Education Anja Karlicek is still optimistic and says that a large number of requests for nostrification is due to the new law on migration of skilled workers passed in March 2020. The new legal solution makes it easier for migrants to work in Germany for the jobs they were educated for.
“Both sides benefit from that,” the minister said.
“Professional workers have a better chance of finding a good job that offers them security, where they are valued, a place that suits their preferences and abilities. At the same time, Germany received an urgently needed skilled workforce from abroad,” Karlicek added.
That the situation is urgent is also confirmed by the president of the German employment agency, Detlef Schelle, who warned this week that the number of able-bodied people in Germany will decrease by some 150,000 this year, and that the deficit will continue to grow.
“We need 400,000 immigrants a year, much more than in previous years. From caregivers, through air conditioner installers, to logisticians and university educated people. There will be a shortage of labor in all areas,” Schelle told the Süddeutsche Zeitung, calling on the government to intervene, BiF reports.
