The German construction industry is advocating for a more nuanced public discourse regarding migration, emphasizing the distinction between irregular and overall migration patterns. Speaking in Berlin on Monday, Peter Hübner, President of the German Construction Industry Association, expressed frustration with the generalized discussions on migration, stating that the focus should be on addressing irregular migration specifically. He affirmed the industry’s reliance on migration, highlighting its positive impact and successful integration of workers with migration backgrounds, who he stated are now indistinguishable from native-born employees.
This sentiment was echoed by Carsten Burckhardt, Deputy Federal Chairman of IG BAU, a construction workers’ trade union, who concurred that migration will continue to be a crucial factor in the sector due to ongoing demographic shifts. He underscored the need for recruitment efforts, emphasizing the prominent role of skilled and unskilled labour migration in filling workforce gaps. Burckhardt further stressed the importance of guaranteeing tariff-level working conditions for recruited workers from third-party countries to facilitate successful integration and attraction. The industry’s position reflects a growing recognition of migration’s continued significance in addressing workforce challenges within the German construction sector.
