Germany: employers are afraid the immigration controversy is going to affect the recruitment of skilled foreign workers

Base immigration on the labor market’s needs. “The German economy needs skilled workers” reminded, once again, the head of the employers’ confederation, Dieter Hundt, this week end, protesting against the declarations of several conservative leaders who want limits to immigration from Muslim countries as well as better systems for the economic integration of jobseekers.  According to Mr. Hundt, other countries have showed that preventing foreign workers from entering the national labor market doesn’t increase national employment.  On the contrary, an immigration policy adapted to the needs of the employment market would lead to an economic dynamic which would create jobs.  Horst Seehofer and some of his lieutenants indeed still demand immigration limits and an offensive to train jobseekers.  Liberal Minister of Economics Rainer Brüderle said that, yes, “the entire German potential” had to be “activated,” but that you can’t “turn failing students into computer specialists.”  For his part, Hans Heinrich Driftmann, President of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry said that businesses currently needed 400,000 engineers and technicians.  He thinks this workforce shortage leads to a loss of earnings of about €25 billion, i.e. about one growth point.  “We urgently need skilled immigrants from all around the world” he said, asking that Germany starts developing a “welcoming culture.”  In 2009, the Federal Statistics Agency listed the arrival of 721,000 people in Germany, while 734,000 left.