German Language Skills and Labor Market Integration: Half of All Establishments Require at Least a B2 Language Level for Hiring

Abstract

"In the coming years, Germany will rely more heavily on immigration to meet the demand for workers and skilled labor. However, many immigrants initially have only limited German language skills. The latest data from the IAB Job Vacancy Survey show that a large proportion of companies require at least a B2 language level for new hires. Under certain conditions, however, companies also consider candidates with lesser German language skills - for example, if they are taking language course or if the job requirements allow for it." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Keita, S. & Kubis, A. (2026): Deutschkenntnisse und Arbeitsmarktintegration: Die Hälfte der Betriebe fordert bei Einstellungen mindestens ein B2-Sprachniveau. (IAB-Kurzbericht 07/2026), Nürnberg, 8 p. DOI:10.48720/IAB.KB.2607