4 Reasons why 2022 is a good time to find a job in Germany

Despite the ongoing pandemic, now is actually a really good time to look for a job in Germany. Lisa Janz of Job Coach Germany gives you 4 reasons why you should consider it.

1. Germany lacks skilled professionals

Businesses are now dependent on the influx of skilled workers as a result of demographic growth in Germany. There simply are not enough qualified professionals to fill the requirements. In fact, there could be a lack of approximately three million skilled workers, technicians, researchers and medical professionals by 2030, according to the Prognos Research Institute. Even the Federal Ministry of Labour warns of a shortfall of qualified professionals in its most recent progress report. 

A different study conducted by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, released in February 2019, states that Germany is dependent on immigration from countries outside of Europe. According to this study, 40 years from now, Germany will require an annual immigration of 260,000 people. The study claims that on a yearly average, roughly 114,000 immigrants can be expected to move from other countries within the EU. Hence, about 146,000 workers would have to immigrate from countries outside the EU.

2. The Skilled Immigration Act

On March 1st 2020, the Federal Government passed the Skilled Immigration Act which makes it easier for non-EU citizens with professional qualifications to access the German labour market. This new era in the German employment market means international specialists have good prospects in particularly high demand jobs. These include the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering and mathematics, plus medicine and nursing care). STEM experts are especially important for the German economy since they work in leading and innovative German industries and, therefore, generate a lot of added value.

This is why Germany actively welcomes foreigners to work in STEM fields. In fact, the government has even lowered the minimum required salary for the EU Blue Card to 44,304 EUR annually.

One other major change is that before the Act was passed, preference was given to German applicants. Now, every applicant from all over the globe has equal opportunities and is equally screened, and thus has the same opportunity to land the job. Furthermore, the federal employment agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) checks up on work conditions, such as salary, work hours, holidays/vacation days, all of which means more secure jobs are on offer for internationals.

3. Digitisation influences the labour market

Digitization is providing an advantage for applicants who have digital knowledge and expertise. The demand for digital skills is increasing, even in non-technical occupations. This is shown in a survey conducted by LinkedIn, the world's largest professional network, with analysts from Coleman Parkes. Because of this, companies find it difficult to adequately fill vacancies, and many do not even know how to define the new digital job profiles of those vacancies. 

Digital transformation has also created many new jobs that did not exist until a few years ago. Due to the sudden demand, there are often too few trained specialists who can fulfill specific roles and who are therefore in great demand. For recruiters, this means getting creative to fill vacancies - and this might include looking to the international skill pool.

Here are sectors where a particularly high number of staff is recruited:

1. Software and IT (62%)
2. Marketing and Communication (52%)
3. Public Administration (51%)

Additionally, recruiters find it particularly difficult to fill vacancies in the following sectors: 

1. Software and IT (36%)
2. Automotive (26%)
3. Lawyers (26%)

4. Socio-economic factors

Over and above the other factors already listed, Germany is well-known for its strong socio-economic benefits. The country has a stable economic situation and provides arobust social security system. The education system is excellent, with nearly no tuition fees. The overall unemployment rate is very low (around 6%) and it has the lowest youth unemployment rate in the EU (just under 5%). Add to that the fact that the OECD lists Germany as one of the most liberal immigration systems of all industrialized countries for highly qualified people, and you have some very strong arguments for looking to Germany for employment opportunities.

What does this mean for people considering to move to Germany?

Now is the best time to apply for jobs in Germany from abroad. Even though the pandemic has caused a lot of suffering and limitations, it has also created a huge opportunity for foreigners to search and land a job in Germany with little to no risk. Recruiting has transformed, with many job interviews being conducted online rather than in person. Why not apply for a job in Germany from wherever you are currently located? You don’t always have to go for a job seeker visa and come to Germany to look for a job here. You have the opportunity to apply for a job and, if you find employment that is in line with your qualifications, you can apply for the EU Blue Card or a residency permit for qualified professionals without even leaving your home country! 

If you’re interested in searching and landing your dream job in Germany, Lisa's 12-week coaching program called My Dream Career In Germany might be the right start for you.

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