A decade after witnessing a significant influx of refugees, Germany is demonstrating positive outcomes in terms of labor market integration, according to leading migration experts. Herbert Brücker, a migration specialist at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) within the Federal Employment Agency, indicates Germany, alongside Norway, is performing comparatively well in integrating newcomers, surpassing countries like Denmark, the Netherlands and Italy.
However, Brücker suggests further improvements are possible, pointing to an initial distribution strategy that disproportionately allocated refugees to economically disadvantaged regions with pre-existing high unemployment rates. This approach, he argues, hindered overall integration potential.
Echoing this sentiment, economist Panu Poutvaara from the Ifo Institute – and a member of the Expert Council for Integration and Migration – criticizes the application of the “Königssteiner Key” – a formula used to distribute refugees across Germany’s federal states. Poutvaara contends this method introduces a substantial element of chance into the integration prospects of asylum seekers.
Despite challenges in initial placement, recent data suggests positive trends. Brücker notes that men who arrived as refugees in 2015 now demonstrate employment rates exceeding the German average, with a clear majority financially self-sufficient. More than half are employed in skilled professions or roles requiring advanced capabilities, a figure that challenges common perceptions. Brücker highlights that the practical skills and experience levels of these individuals are often significantly higher than their formal qualifications suggest – a discrepancy frequently underestimated. He explains that while formal educational pathways may differ – for example, the absence of traditional apprenticeships in countries like Syria or Iraq – the actual work performed aligns with German standards, suggesting a largely untapped pool of valuable expertise.
