Merz on the debate on skilled workers: “We are not exploiting the potential”

Status: 11/30/2022 10:08 am

Approval from the economy – skepticism in the opposition: With a view to the traffic light plans for the immigration of skilled workers, CDU leader Merz has pleaded for the existing “potential” to be exploited first.

CDU leader Friedrich Merz has expressed reservations about the traffic light coalition’s plans for the immigration of skilled workers. “We need more. And we’re not exploiting the potential that we already have,” he said common Morning magazine from ARD and ZDF. For example, freedom of movement for workers applies in the EU. “But they don’t come because the conditions in Germany are just not good enough, the bureaucracy is terrible, the taxes are too high.”

He also accused the Foreign Ministry of having “hundreds, if not thousands” of skilled workers waiting for a visa because there was a shortage of staff at the diplomatic missions. “Exhausting the potential would be the first step.”

One must also talk about the recognition of professional qualifications. “But the problem is that many don’t have one at all. We have many people here who simply cannot be used in the labor market in Germany,” said the CDU leader. “We’re getting a lot of people to Germany who can’t be accommodated here in the labor market. And those we need don’t want to come.”

The Union is open to discussions and good arguments. A first step, however, is to integrate those who are already in Germany into the job market.

Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU parliamentary group, on the debate about immigration of skilled workers: “We are not exploiting the potential that we already have.”

Tagesschau 09:00 a.m., 30.11.2022

Heil: “The goal is the most modern immigration law in Europe”

Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil, on the other hand, defended the planned new rules. “Our goal is the most modern immigration law in Europe, because we are competing with many countries for clever minds and helping hands,” said the SPD politician SWR. “The fact that we get the right people secures prosperity in Germany.” Heil demanded: “We must not simply accept the immigration of skilled workers bureaucratically as in the past, but we must want it massively.” He spoke of a “national effort” for the federal, state and local governments and also for the economy.

After the key points, the traffic light cabinet should also approve the corresponding draft laws in the first quarter of 2023. “The law will be passed next year,” said Heil. He wants “that by 2025 at the latest – and that’s not far away – we will also see the success of this law on the labor market”.

The federal government wants to make it much easier for qualified workers to immigrate from abroad in order to counter the sometimes very severe shortage of skilled workers. To this end, the cabinet is to adopt a key issues paper today. Recognized specialists with a valid employment contract should be able to come to Germany more easily than before. On the basis of a points system, skilled workers without an employment contract should also be allowed to enter the country if they do particularly well in certain selection criteria such as language skills or professional experience. Third-country nationals “with good potential” should be able to stay there to look for a job.

BA and IG Metall welcome plans

The Federal Employment Agency (BA) welcomed the plans for the immigration of skilled workers. Germany will lose seven million workers by 2035, and the loss must be compensated for by measures at home and abroad. “Even if all levers are used in domestic potential, that will not be enough,” said BA board member Vanessa Ahuja. In addition to domestic efforts, foreign workers and skilled workers are needed to ensure that the German labor market continues to function well. “Everything that helps to facilitate the influx of workers and skilled workers is important,” emphasized Ahuja. Immigration law must become more modern, faster, less bureaucratic and more flexible.

The IG Metall chairman Jörg Hofmann also expressed himself positively. “As a society, we benefit when qualified workers come to Germany,” he told the dpa news agency. So it is time to tackle the issue. “Bureaucratic hurdles – from applying for a visa to the recognition of professional qualifications – are hindering immigration today,” complained the chairman of Germany’s largest individual trade union.

“Immigration from third countries will gain in importance”

The economy also agrees to a simplified immigration of skilled workers. However, the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) called for improvements, for example with regard to the salary limit and the recruitment of trainees from abroad. “The key issues paper still contains very little on this. With the growing number of unfilled training places in Germany, we have to become even more pragmatic in order to attract more trainees from third countries,” said deputy DIHK general manager Achim Dercks of the “Rheinische Post”.

Craft President Hans Peter Wollseifer called for a realignment of the immigration authorities and the German embassies abroad. “The immigration authorities have to become ‘welcome centres’, visas have to be issued more quickly. Otherwise people won’t come, especially since Germany doesn’t have the very best reputation as an immigration country anyway,” he told the newspaper.

Germany will be dependent on immigration in the coming years, said the managing director of the Berlin Institute for Population and Development, Catherine Hinz, the editorial network Germany. “The baby boomers are retiring and the number of people of working age is shrinking – according to a forecast by the Berlin Institute, from around 50 million today by around twelve percent to 44 million in 2035.” At least 260,000 people would have to immigrate each year to just about cover the forecast demand for labour. “Since the main countries of origin in the EU are experiencing similar demographic developments as Germany, EU immigration will in all likelihood decrease,” said Hinz. “Immigration from third countries will become more important.”

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