Germany’s Labour Shortages Highlight Growing Role of Immigrant Workers

Key Takeaways:

• Immigrant workers dominate industries facing labour shortages, such as construction, food production, and transport.
• Sectors with the least immigrant representation include insurance sales, public administration, police, and education.
• Over a quarter (26%) of Germany’s workforce in shortage-affected sectors has an immigration background.
• Catering, accommodation, and building maintenance sectors rely heavily on immigrant workers.

Germany’s labour market is increasingly dependent on workers with an immigration background, particularly in industries struggling with labour shortages. According to data published by Destatis, the Federal Statistical Office, and reported by Schengen.News, these workers constitute a significant portion of key sectors, reaffirming their crucial role in the country's economy.

Immigrant Workers Dominate High-Demand Sectors

Destatis data reveals that employees with an immigration background accounted for a remarkable 67% of the workforce in construction and drywall construction in 2023. Similarly, they comprised 51% of food production employees and 46% of bus and tram drivers.

Additionally, significant shares of immigrant workers were observed in:

• Meat processing (42%)
• Food sales (41%)
• Freight passport professional drivers (37%)
• Elderly care (31%)
• Metal construction (30%)

Other vital industries where immigrant workers are prevalent include postal, courier, and express services (40%) and motor vehicle production (31%). The elderly and nursing home sectors also see a 30% workforce share from this demographic, emphasizing their importance in high-employment fields.

Immigrants Least Represented in Certain Professions

Despite their strong presence in labour-intensive industries, immigrant workers remain underrepresented in fields such as public administration, insurance, and education. The breakdown of their participation in these sectors includes:

• Public administration (10%)
• Defence and social security (10%)
• Insurance (13%)
• Energy supply (14%)
• Financial services (15%)
• Education (17%)

In contrast, more than half of all dependent employees in the catering industry in 2023 had an immigration background. Similarly, 49% of workers in building, cleaning, gardening, and landscaping sectors had either immigrated to Germany themselves or were children of immigrants who arrived after 1950.

The Economic Impact of Immigration on Germany

As Germany faces ongoing labour shortages, the reliance on immigrant workers continues to grow. With over 26% of employees in shortage-stricken sectors coming from an immigration background, their contribution remains indispensable to the country's economy.

For more details, visit the original report by Destatis and coverage by Schengen.News:

• Destatis, the Federal Statistical Office: https://www.destatis.de
• Schengen.News: https://www.schengen.news