While in Germany the migrant issue is under bitter discussion and is threatening Chancellor Angela Merkel’s political future, two recent studies, one from the trade union linked Hans-Böckler Foundation and the other from the employers’ body the BDA have both reached similar conclusions, namely that many businesses are committed to integrating refugees into employment, especially via the medium of internships. However several obstacles are in their way, not least the language barrier. To date only a tiny number of refugees have secured regular employment. Aware of the issue, the Chancellor called on representatives from the 120 business founders of the “Wir zusammen” (All together) movement to a summit meeting on the evening of 14 September at the Chancellery with the aim of analyzing initiatives already being implemented by business as well as new measures to undertake so as to speed up the refugee integration process.
Many initiatives, but very few jobs. In the face of the 2015 wave of refugees arriving in significant numbers (according to Federal Statistical Office data, in 2015 Germany saw a net influx of 298,000 from Syria, 80,000 from Afghanistan, and 60,000 from Iraq) both business and employers’ federations heralded their willingness to commit to facilitating refugee integration. Two experts from the Tübingen Research Institute in Employment, Technology and Culture, Andrea Müller and Werner Schmidt, with support from the Hans-Böckler Union Foundation went out into the field to see if the promises had been kept.
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