Skilled workers: Racism is part of Germany

2024-02-05 09:29:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Germany needs foreign workers. The population is aging, Germany's baby boomers are retiring, and there is already a shortage of skilled workers everywhere. Therefore, it is the stated goal of the federal government to make the country as attractive as possible to foreign skilled workers. The Internet portal "Make it in Germany" has existed for ten years and aims to offer those interested assistance in various languages ??on their way to Germany.

30,000 skilled workers surveyed

The Organization of Industrialized Countries OECD surveyed tens of thousands of skilled workers from non-EU countries over a long period of time through this portal. The aim was to learn more about the motivation, hopes and fears of people considering working in Germany.

"This is a unique global study in which we follow people from the moment they become interested in a country over a period of time," says Thomas Liebig of the OECD. Almost 30,000 people were surveyed in a first round in the summer /autumn 2022. Of these, about six months later, around 10,000 people answered further questions from OECD researchers.Finally, in autumn/winter 2023, a final survey of around 6,000 people was done.

The most important countries of origin of the respondents are Turkey (13 percent), India (ten percent) and Colombia (nine percent). Up to four percent of workers from Egypt, Algeria, Argentina, Mexico, the Philippines and Russia were also surveyed.

Skilled workers: Racism is part of Germany

Most men with high qualifications

Who took part in the survey? "They are mostly men, 75 percent," says study leader Liebig. "They are mostly highly qualified: 75 percent have a university degree, a third of them have a master's or doctorate. Most have families, meaning they have partners and/or children. A high percentage, 60 percent, have at least a basic knowledge of German, and one in three of them even have an advanced knowledge of the language."

"Germany remains an attractive destination for many highly qualified people abroad," the study says. However, many complain about the long waits for visas. In Turkey, one in three respondents (30 percent) rated their experiences with the German immigration system as "fairly bad" or "very bad." In Algeria it was one in five (21 percent).

Personal recommendations are especially important

Friends, family or colleagues were the main drivers of these people's interest in Germany. Most people cited the hope of good jobs and career opportunity as the main reason for considering moving to Germany. Security, good health, democracy and the rule of law, a good education system and opportunities for partners and relatives were mentioned frequently.

Skilled workers: Racism is part of Germany

Only a few in Germany now

In the more than twelve months that passed between the various survey rounds, only a small fraction (five percent) actually managed to come to Germany. They were mostly people who had good networks and knowledge of German. In Germany, almost everyone (93 percent) works full-time. About half work in engineering and information technology (IT), and one in ten work in health and healthcare.

Almost half earn more than 4,000 euros gross per month, 13 percent earn more than 6,000 euros, while ten percent earn less than 2,000 euros gross per month. The majority (59 percent) are generally "quite satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their life in Germany. The quality of life, the German culture and mentality, as well as the welcoming culture in Germany were particularly positively emphasized by the respondents. But many respondents are "dissatisfied" or "fairly dissatisfied" with their contacts with immigration authorities (40 percent) and with their income and financial situation (40 percent).

Racism and discrimination

Many of the respondents were very worried about the possibility of being a victim of discrimination and racism in Germany. While those who came to Germany and work here, they cannot say that there is no racism and discrimination. On the contrary: reality is worse than fear.

Skilled workers: Racism is part of Germany

"Of those who have come to Germany, more than half say they were discriminated against and that they had problems in the housing market. A very large number, almost 40 percent, also report experiences of discrimination and racism in shops, restaurants and on the road," says Thomas Liebig. "These are shockingly high numbers." According to respondents, only their experiences with the police and in the schools their children attend were better than they had feared.

Racism as a locational disadvantage

The authors of the OECD study recommend that the Federal Republic of Germany have better trained staff in visa offices abroad and immigration authorities in Germany. Also, support for learning the German language abroad should be expanded. Something must be done urgently against discrimination and racism, they recommend.

According to the latest OECD migration report, a good half of the foreigners who settle permanently in Germany come from other EU countries. The second largest group (21 percent) are refugees, followed by family members joining their relatives already living in Germany (15 percent). While people who come to Germany from countries outside the EU to work make up the smallest group of immigrants with 14 percent./ DW