Five Years Later, One Million Refugees Are Thriving in Germany

Abstract

"Despite progress, challenges to full economic inclusion for refugees remain. The German labor market is complicated and bureaucratic, creating barriers for foreign qualification recognition, and those who don’t speak German. Women have poorer prospects, especially those with young children, and healthcare access remains low for recently arrived refugees. COVID-19 has amplified these challenges. Refugees typically work in lower-paid and more precarious roles, which have been hit harder by the pandemic. As a result, they have seen the largest increase in unemployment, compared to both other migrants and German locals. The suspension of learning opportunities and social interactions are particularly detrimental, meaning refugees are receiving less support. These challenges have been recognised by the Chancellor, who hosted a national integration summit in October. There it was decided that services such as German language courses, counselling, and job support should all be provided digitally to improve access during and after the pandemic. What is now needed is a set of policies that precisely target well-identified barriers to labor market integration. The main issue is training and the certification of existing skills." (Text excerpt, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Keita, S. & Dempster, H. (2020): Five Years Later, One Million Refugees Are Thriving in Germany. In: Expanding Labor Market Access for Refugees and Forced Migrants No. 04.12.2020 Washington, DC, o. Sz.