Immigrants needed in Germany – but not welcomed

Okaz, Saudi Arabia, Rami Al-Khalifa Al-Ali  - August 14

Germany stands as the economic powerhouse of Europe, but this industrial might comes with a significant requirement: a robust workforce. The German government estimates there are currently over half a million vacancies across various sectors, especially in trades such as craftsmanship, mechanics, and construction work. To fortify its economy, Germany needs more than 400,000 new immigrants annually. Projections paint a daunting picture: By 2035, around seven million workers are expected to exit the labor market. Hence, the government must ramp up efforts to attract large numbers of immigrants. 

In recent months, legislative changes to immigration laws and streamlined paths to German citizenship have been introduced, serving as potential incentives for new arrivals. Nevertheless, the global competition for skilled immigrants is fierce, with nations like the US, Canada, and other European countries also vying for talent that fits their labor market demands. The alarm over an immigration crisis is often a media construct rather than an economic reality. Take the UK, for instance. While it has seen around 100,000 illegal immigrants, the British government has simultaneously sanctioned the entry of over 800,000 legal immigrants to meet labor market needs. 

Ironically, unemployment persists in certain segments because the typical Western citizen aspires to office jobs that align with their education and training. Beyond the sought-after roles of doctors, engineers, accountants, and programmers, there is an equally critical need for workers in construction, retail, and truck driving – jobs that demand physical effort and are often less appealing to native citizens. 

The crux of the issue transcends the attraction of highly educated professionals. It is about the pressing need for manual laborers willing to accept lower wages for physically demanding work. This dynamic is unlikely to change as competition for these workers is set to intensify, especially with China’s growing demand for labor. China faces its own demographic challenges, borne out of the now-abandoned one-child policy. The nation is grappling with a rapidly aging population, projected to have 24% of its citizens over the age of 65 by 2035. This demographic shift will place immense strain on China’s social and healthcare systems and result in a worker shortage, with the labor force expected to shrink by 0.5% annually until 2030, accelerating to 0.9% annually until 2050. 

Compounding this complex scenario is the rise of xenophobia and racism, which has bolstered far-right movements across multiple countries. The recent developments in Britain epitomize this contradiction; hostility towards immigrants stems less from economic concerns and more from issues of identity, globalization, political opportunism, and lingering racist sentiments from both distant and recent history. We are likely to see more of these phenomena in the near future, despite their incongruity with social and economic realities. Over short periods, political exploitation can overshadow societal and economic movements, creating a landscape fraught with contradiction and tension.