The 2015 mass influx of war related refugees meant that Germany’s authorities had to temporarily leave aside the issue of economic immigration, which is managed within the scope of the rather inefficient European Blue Card Provision. However, given the shortage of qualified manpower and the unfavorable demographic situation, Germany’s social-democrats, ecologists and the wider economic community are looking to return to the issue. On 07 November, the SPD even presented a draft law to this effect that includes a points system selection process. While the economics contingent within the Conservative Party has said it welcomes this position, certain leaders on the right fear that such a system will trigger populist rhetoric.
A shortage of manpower despite immigration. Knocked off front stage for a while by the refugee crisis, the issue of skilled manpower has resurfaced in Germany, and with it has the debate over implementing measures to better manage economic immigration. The fact that 890,000 asylum seekers entered Germany in 2015 might have led one to suggest that its manpower shortage problems were over. However after several months of trial and error, it is clear that a good proportion of these asylum seekers will return ‘home’ as soon as the right conditions are in place.
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