In Germany, there are hardly any reserves left to replace missing or soon-to-be-retired skilled workers. This is the result of surveys by the Federal Statistical Office. According to the latest results of the micro-census, 87 percent of the population between the ages of 25 and 59 are already in gainful employment. For men it is even 92 percent, for women 83 percent have a paid job.
The statisticians still see potential among part-time employees, who accounted for 30 percent of salaried employees last year. Almost every second employed woman (49 percent) works part-time. For men, the proportion has risen by 3.4 points to 12.7 percent since 2010. At least some of the part-time workers could be persuaded to work more, according to the statistics office.
However, there are also people who could participate in working life alone in a part-time job. Immigrants are less likely to be employed for a variety of reasons. Their job rate is 74 percent, with women working far less frequently than men. Refugees in particular often do not initially have the right to take up work.
As a result, only 34 percent of people from the Near and Middle East are registered as employed in the first five years after immigration. For immigrants from Africa, the rate was 55 percent. After 15 to 20 years, rates have increased to 78 percent (Near and Middle East) and 73 percent (Africa). Immigrant EU citizens who enjoy full freedom of movement are 81 percent employed after five years and 87 percent 15 to 20 years after immigration.
In the past year, numerous non-EU citizens once again immigrated to Germany to work. At the end of the year, the Central Register of Foreigners recorded 351,000 people with a temporary residence permit that entitles them to work. That was 56,000 people or 19 percent more than a year earlier, as reported by the Federal Statistical Office on Thursday. The increase was therefore significantly stronger than in previous years.