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Head of the employment agency for a good four months: Andrea Nahles
Photo:
Nicolas Armer / picture alliance / dpa
Employment agency boss Andrea Nahles has called for a new welcoming culture in order to attract more skilled workers from abroad and keep them in Germany.
"The spirit 'land of immigration' is not yet there in Germany," said the former SPD chairwoman to the news portal "t-online".
»It's not specialists who come to us, but people.
And that's why we also need the willingness not only to see them as professionals, but to welcome them as people.
Otherwise it will not succeed.«
Nahles sees the real problem in the high number of emigrants.
According to Nahles, around 1.1 million people came to Germany last year alone.
"Unfortunately, 750,000 people emigrated at the same time."
According to Nahles, many of these people complained that they were working below their qualifications because their professional qualifications were not recognised.
“They would also like to have their families with them, but they are not allowed to come.” If Germany were to reduce the number of emigrants, part of the skilled labor problem could be solved, according to Nahles.
The 52-year-old criticized the "many hurdles" for immigrants.
»It starts with the fact that people have to learn German in their home country.
But there are not German teachers everywhere.
And then interested parties have to pay for the course themselves, some simply cannot afford it.«
Germany competes with English-speaking countries.
English is a language that many people around the world learn at school.
"And finally, it often takes months to get an appointment at the consulate for a visa."
che/dpa-AFX