Even with a pension of 70: The population is getting older and shrinking, the economy is dependent on immigrants, according to a Bertelsmann study.
According to a study by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, the German labor market needs at least 260,000 immigrants each year in the medium and long term. With aging populations, the number of non-migrant workers will shrink by around 16 million by 2060, nearly a third.
A higher birth rate and an increasing labor force participation of women and men are already included in the calculation, says the study: „Even if men and women worked the same and a pension in Germany would be introduced at 70, the need for skilled labor could not be covered by domestic means become.“
Immigration from other EU countries will decrease, according to the study, compared to previous years. As economic strength and quality of life in the EU countries are approaching, the appeal of finding a job in Germany is likely to decrease.
At the same time, there is a growing demand for immigrants from third countries: By 2035, the German labor market will need almost 98,000 people annually, almost 170,000 every year between 2036 and 2050, and almost 200,000 from 2051 to 2060 from non-EU countries.
„Today, far too few skilled workers from third countries immigrate to Germany,“ said the Bertelsmann Foundation’s Board of Management, Jörg Dräger. „The immigration law should be passed quickly.“ But a law alone is not enough. „Migration and integration are a task for society as a whole,“ said the foundation’s board of directors.
