OECD Report: Immigrant Employment Rate Up In Germany

04 Dec 2012

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has reported improvements in the employment rate among immigrants living in Germany. However, Germany could do more for foreign workers, it said.

Over the past decade, the unemployment rate among immigrants in Germany rose to 65 percent, a full seven percent, according to Monday's report from the Paris-based economic organization. While the report's other analyses revealed a comparatively better picture in Germany than in other OECD countries, it drew attention to a situation still in need of improvement.

The OECD's 34 member states include both the world's industrialized countries across continents, as well as emerging nations.

Between 2000 and 2008, 13 percent of people who had immigrated to Germany as children were reported as neither pursuing an education, nor employed, compared to 12 percent among their German counterparts.

Germany's rate for this group outranked other OECD countries, where the numbers were 16 percent and 9 percent, respectively.

The education level also reportedly rose by 12 percent among Germany's population with foreign roots. However, the central-European economic power lagged in hiring highly educated workers over the past decade - regardless of where they had been born - compared to their German counterparts, especially in the public sector.

"In Germany, [employers] rarely make use of the opportunity to hire a teacher or policeman with foreign roots," said OECD immigration expert Thomas Liebig.

By contrast, low-skilled migrant workers were hired more often than Germans lacking qualifications.

"Many employers consider these foreigners as poorly educated, but willing work," said OECD expert Liebig.

Source: http://www.dw.de/oecd-report-immigrant-employment-rate-up-in-germany/a-16425362