Increased immigration of skilled workers persists amidst the Coronavirus pandemic
In a significant development, the Federal Employment Agency (BA) in Germany recruited over 1,500 skilled workers and trainees from third countries in 2020, a number that nearly matches the total number of visas issued in the entire year 2019, according to an article in Der Spiegel.
Despite global travel restrictions due to the pandemic, the demand for skilled labor from abroad remained high. German companies needed highly qualified specialists, especially in technology and health sectors, to sustain their operations and innovation. The majority of these recruits came from the Philippines (362), followed by Mexico (200) and Brazil (98).
Doctors and nursing staff were among the top professions for these recruits. However, due to travel restrictions, some visa holders have not yet been able to start their jobs in Germany.
Daniel Terzenbach, a member of the BA's board, stated that the boom in hiring third-country skilled workers underscores the necessity of the skilled worker immigration law. He further asserted that without immigration, the skilled worker problem cannot be solved.
The BA did not provide the exact number of third-country workers who entered Germany in 2020 due to statistical reasons. However, Der Spiegel reported that approximately 27,000 employment visas were issued to foreign skilled workers from non-EU countries between March and December in 2020.
This trend is not new, as Spiegel reported earlier that Germany's regulatory framework facilitates the hiring of non-EU skilled workers to support critical sectors during the crisis. The regulatory measures have been instrumental in attracting and integrating foreign skilled workers, especially from outside the EU.
In the current issue of Spiegel, it was reported that this boom in hiring of third-country skilled workers continues, with the newspaper highlighting the continued need for the skilled worker immigration law. The article also noted that some visa holders for third-country skilled workers have been unable to start their jobs in Germany due to travel restrictions.
In conclusion, the recruitment of over 1,500 skilled workers and trainees from third countries in 2020, despite the pandemic and travel restrictions, underscores the urgent need for skilled labor in Germany and the necessity of immigration laws to facilitate this process.
The surge in hiring third-country skilled workers, such as doctors and nurses, highlights the demand for specialized expertise in sectors like technology and health, fueling the need for foreign finance to support these businesses. As the pandemic persists, more of these visa holders find themselves in a standstill, unable to commence their duties in Germany.
