Skilled worker shortages in Germany give migration opportunities

A report by the German Federal Employment Agency has identified 19 job sectors suffering shortages due to a lack of skilled local applicants.

The report states that the healthcare and tech sectors are the worst affected by local skills shortages, and adds that vacancies are taking an unacceptably long time to fill. Jobs available span a range of levels from highly skilled, qualified employees to non-academically trained tradespersons.

Personnel shortages in the heathcare sector include therapists, fully-qualified doctors and specialists in geriatric care. The tech sector urgently requires software developers and manufacturing companies are in need of qualified, experienced mechanical engineers.

Germany's retail and construction industries are also suffering from a lack of workers, as are the energy and electronics sectors. According to the Agency’s chairman, Frank Jurgen-Weisen, German employers across the board are having a hard time filling their vacancies with the right people.

Jobs are available in all Germany’s regions, with the focus on the country’s major manufacturing hubs as well as in smaller cities with established IT and heathcare centres. Berlin is Germany’s start-up hub, with innovative new companies in various fields looking for top talent as well as workers at lower levels.

The healthcare industry is seeking non-medical health professionals such as rehab and orthopedic equipment technicians in addition to doctors, nurses and therapists. EU citizens looking to relocate for career reasons can take advantage of the free movement of labour laws within the European Community.