Jakarta (ANTARA) - Worldwide, 304 million people, or 1 in every 30 people, left their country to seek a decent living elsewhere, according to the World Migration Report 2026 from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in May.
"Across the world, migration helps drive jobs, economic growth, stability and social cohesion,” said IOM Director General Amy Pope, in the report.This seems to be a reason for Germany to close its labor market gap, amidst an aging population, with an average age of 45 years.
In the next 15 years, Germany is projected to have one of the world's largest retiree populations, drawn from the baby boomer generation. By 2039, approximately 13.4 million people, or 31 percent of the workforce, are expected to retire.
Hence, Germany is trying to encourage migration of skilled workers to work in Germany, said a source familiar with the matter at the German Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, when ANTARA participated in a themed trip program "Skilled Labor Migration" in Germany recently.
Besides the gap in the labor market, Germany is also experiencing a change in economic structure, where the country's industry continues to shift towards green industries, thus requiring more skilled and professional workers to be able to work in certain fields.
These challenges are the reason Germany really needs and relies on skilled labor migration in the fields of healthcare, medical personnel, IT, AI, construction, crafts, logistics and public transportation, early childhood education, electricity, architecture, lawyers, and skilled labor for other fields.
Germany needs skilled labor, and they continue to promote and invite people to work and live in Germany, said the source.
He believes that working in Germany can be a career opportunity, as well as allowing someone to learn various things to improve skills, and transfer knowledge and skills after returning to their home country.
For partner countries experiencing significant labor market pressure and high unemployment rates, skilled labor migration to Germany can provide a solution for their youth to find employment.
Basically, the benefits that Germany, skilled workers working in Germany, and their countries of origin can gain are the basis for Germany's Triple Win cooperation with partner countries, including Indonesia, in placing skilled workers in Germany.
"Basically, we're trying to focus on those countries and help them. But by helping them, it also helps us. So, it's a win-win approach, or what we think would be good if it all culminated in a Triple Win," he said.
Germany's Triple Win program is a collaborative program between the German Federal Employment Agency (BA) and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. This program is based on placement agreements concluded between Germany and its partner countries.
Germany's Triple Win program is active worldwide, and has collaborated with four partner countries to recruit nurses from abroad to Germany, including Indonesia, the Philippines, Tunisia, and India.
In Indonesia, Triple Win Program collaboration between the GIZ and the Ministry of Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers (KP2MI) has been going on for a long time for the placement of skilled migrant workers in the health sector to Germany.
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Recently, through this cooperation scheme, P2MI Ministry has also begun exploring expanding the placement of Indonesian migrant workers outside of this sector, in line with the high demand for skilled workers in the German job market.
Expanding the placement sector is considered an important step in opening up broader opportunities for migrant workers with skills that meet the needs of the international job market.
"Diversifying placement sectors is important to open more opportunities for Indonesian migrant workers who have the skills and competencies needed by the international labor market, including Germany," said Deputy Minister of P2MI Christina Aryani in a meeting with GIZ International Services Director General Andrea von Rauch in June.
Immigration laws
In practice, Germany has immigration laws that regulate labor migration to the country.
Before its change, there was only one path for job seekers from abroad to come and work in Germany, namely through the recognition procedure, which also required them to first obtain a definite offer from the German company where they would work.
Germany currently has immigration laws that have broader provisions to facilitate labor migration.
Within the law, there are three pillars or qualification pathways that regulate and facilitate the migration of skilled workers to work in Germany.
The first pillar or pathway is recognized qualification. This pillar remains the same as the previous one, namely the need for a recognition procedure. Through this qualification pathway, job seekers must possess a qualification or educational degree equivalent to one recognized in Germany.
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On this way, a person can obtain a Blue Card if the person has a recognized higher education degree or equivalent from a German university, an appropriate employment contract, and a specified minimum salary limit.
Next, the second pillar is the experience pathway. Through this pathway, job seekers are not required to have a recognized degree in Germany, but rather to have work experience.
So, for example, if an Indonesian citizen wants to work in Germany, they need to prove that they have completed vocational training or a university degree in Indonesia for at least two years, and this two-year education must be recognized by Indonesia.
Through this way, a person wishing to work in Germany needs to prove that they have completed two years of vocational training or a university degree in their home country, and this two-year education must be recognized by their home country.
It is necessary to prove that the individual has also worked in the profession for at least two years. If these requirements are met, and the specified salary threshold is met, the individual can come and work in Germany without having to hold an equivalent degree recognized in Germany.
Meanwhile, the third pillar is the potential pathway. This way allows individuals who meet the appropriate requirements or meet the requirements to come to Germany and find work.
Ultimately, having the desire to work in what field and where is the choice of each individual.
Working at home or abroad both have their advantages. And the opportunity to work in Germany, with all its charm and benefits, could be a choice not to be missed.
Pewarta : Katriana
Editor:
I Komang Suparta
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