- Study Finds: Foreign Workers Bolstering Thuringian Job Market
Foreign Workers Boost Labor Market in Thuringia, Report Suggests
As per the latest Thuringian Integration and Migration Report, foreign workers are positively influencing the local labor market in Thuringia. Integration Commissioner Mirjam Kruppa shared, "We're witnessing a high influx of non-German workers aged between 15 and 35 years old." This age group is crucial for training, education, and future development of the labor market.
Positive Immigration Surplus in spite of Population Drop
This trend can be seen in the evolution of socially secured employment. While the number of German workers has decreased since 2017, the number of foreign workers has increased from approximately 42,000 in 2019 to 71,000 in 2023. The report, compiled by the Minor Institute and presented to the cabinet on Tuesday, highlights that presently, 11.1% of Thuringia's population has a migratory background, amounting to around 232,000 individuals, mainly EU citizens or those holding humanitarian residence titles.
Approximately 40% of people with a migration background in Thuringia have arrived within the past five years. This trend is a major factor why Thuringia still has a positive migration surplus despite anticipated population decline. "These figures carry added significance given the predicted population decline based on official statistics," explained Kruppa.
According to a population forecast by the Bertelsmann Foundation, Thuringia's population is projected to decrease by 10.9%, dropping to around 1.9 million inhabitants, between 2020 and 2040. A study by the Society for Economic Structural Promotion (GWS) and the ifo Institute predicts that Thuringia will be short of around 250,000 workers by 2035.
Hurdles due to Delays and Racism
Kruppa underlined the significance of immigration in securing Thuringia's skilled workforce in the long term. She acknowledged the rise in racist crimes, stating, "These aggressively hostile attitudes have a direct impact on integration and pose a threat to society's harmony." Immigrants to Thuringia are regarded as "an opportunity and, overwhelmingly, an enrichment for the state." Kruppa cautioned, "Those who frame migrants and refugees as problems that need solving are detrimental to the Free State."
The significant increase in foreign workers in Thuringia, such as the rise from 42,000 in 2019 to 71,000 in 2023, is happening in The Netherlands' neighboring country. This positive trend is helping to offset the predicted population decline in Thuringia, with around 232,000 individuals having a migratory background as of the report's compilation.
