BA boss on shortage of skilled workers: “We need 400,000 immigrants a year”

The chairman of the board of the Federal Employment Agency has called on the federal government to bring more immigrants into the country. Germany needs around 400,000 immigrants a year. Targeted migration is important, however.

The chairman of the Federal Employment Agency, Detlef Scheele, has warned of a massive labor shortage in Germany. “We need 400,000 immigrants a year. So significantly more than in previous years,” said Scheele of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”. “From care and air conditioning to logisticians and academics: There will be a shortage of skilled workers everywhere.”

Targeted immigration into the labor market

Due to the demographic development, the number of potential workers of typical professional age will decrease by almost 150,000 this year, and in the coming years it will be “much more dramatic,” explained Scheele.

The problem can only be dealt with with significantly higher immigration to Germany. “But for me it is not about asylum, but about targeted immigration to fill the gaps in the labor market,” said Scheele.

“Germany is running out of manpower”

“Germany can only solve the problem by qualifying unskilled workers and people with lost jobs, letting women workers who involuntarily work part-time work longer – and above all by bringing immigrants into the country,” said Scheele. The new federal government must regulate everything.

Regarding possible resistance to migration, he said: “You can stand up and say: We don’t want any foreigners. But that doesn’t work. The fact is: Germany is running out of workers,” said Scheele.