The immigrant workforce in Germany

Formal and informal barriers to addressing skills deficits

Workforce development and further education have long been recognised as important means of achieving innovation, economic growth, and social cohesion in Germany.

The unique structure of the workforce development system guarantees that all principle stakeholders, including professional organisations and employers, are engaged in ensuring that these goals are achieved.

Thus, the private sector plays a strong role within a training and continuing education system that is otherwise entrenched in legislation and insitutionalised through publicly financed consultative institutions.

The influence of employers and professional associations in Germany has produced specific barriers to immigrant participation in workforce development programmes, but has also created opportunities for greater immigrant participation.

This report analyses whether publicly-financed consultative institutions, employers, and professional associations are prepared to meet the needs of existing and future immigrant populations.

More specifically, it evaluates the accessibility of training programmes to immigrants, and the success of existing mainstream and targeted programmes in serving the skills needs of diverse populations and preparing them to meet labour market demands.