The German economy is increasingly lacking skilled workers. In order to remedy the situation, Angela Merkel (CDU) and several federal ministers met in the Chancellery on Monday afternoon for a top meeting with representatives of business and trade unions. Her goal: to consult with the Chancellor on how foreign workers can be better recruited.
But the federal states, whose companies are particularly affected by the shortage of skilled workers, are not included in the round in Berlin. A fact that caused irritation in advance. "It is a mistake that today's skilled workers summit takes place without the federal states, even though we are directly affected by the practical problems," said North Rhine-Westphalian FDP integration minister Joachim Stamp SPIEGEL.
"I can not understand that the Chancellor is leaving the federal states out, the need for skilled workers will not be covered by the law passed," added the Liberal, referring to a future skilled worker immigration law of the grand coalition.
Marius Becker / DPA
NRW Integration Minister Joachim Stamp (FDP): "Economic madness."
FDP Minister Stamp : right of residence for another group
Stamp once again pleaded for a comprehensive immigration law that also enables a points system based on the Canadian model. "In addition, it would be fatal if today's meeting does not focus on those who are already in the country," said the FDP state minister. It is "macroeconomic madness" that Germany keeps bureaucratic requirements to keep migrants willing to work out of the job market and even deport workers in regular employment.
"I call on the federal government to lift all prohibitions on work and to give all tolerated people who abide by our laws and have a decent job a permanent right of residence," said Stamp. He expects the federal government to dare "a liberation" so that all who work and want to contribute to the prosperity in this country and take their lives into their own hands could do so.
New law is supposed to remedy the situation
The shortage of skilled workers remains a major challenge for companies in Germany, as a survey by the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK) shows before a top meeting at the Chancellery. According to this, 56 percent of the companies stated that the lack of trained personnel represents the greatest business risk.
A third of the companies have therefore hired foreign specialists from the EU and from non-EU countries in recent years. But in order to attract specialists from outside, there is a lack of good framework conditions.
Germany is rarely an attractive destination for academics from abroad. According to a joint study by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Germany only ranks 12th among the more than 30 industrialized OECD countries. The biggest deficit lies in the rather poor professional opportunities in Germany - especially if the immigrants bring an academic degree from non-EU countries.
A law on immigration of skilled workers is intended to remedy this. Before the top meeting, Chancellor Merkel emphasized that Germany also relies on well-qualified specialists from outside the EU. The law is intended to make it easier for them to get to Germany.
Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) had asked the business community for a recruitment strategy on Sunday evening. "She has to tell us in which countries she wants to recruit skilled workers for which industries," said the SPD politician on the ARD program "Report from Berlin". Only then can the federal government support this through bureaucratic simplifications.
OECD expert Thomas Liebig criticized the new law. Above all, he called for improvements in the planned law for the recognition of professional qualifications.
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