Germany is hoping to recruit qualified workers from outside the EU. Berlin is looking to countries such as Mexico, Vietnam and India to fill the gaps.
“We know that many sectors and businesses are looking for skilled workers. That is why it is necessary for us to make every effort to recruit a sufficient number of specialists. Otherwise, companies will have to migrate — and, of course, we do not want that,” Merkel said.
Germany wants to tackle the shortfall domestically by providing “good training for as many people as possible,” Merkel said. At the same time, Berlin is looking to recruit qualified people from other European Union countries, and further afield.
There are already 2.5 million people from EU countries working in Germany. “But that alone is not enough, and that is why we also have to look for skilled workers from outside the European Union,” Merkel said.
Germany is most in need of electrical engineers, metal workers and mechatronics engineers, cooks, nurses, aged care workers, computer scientists and software developers.
