Refugees can best be integrated into society via the labour market, but here the primary need is for well-trained specialists. The fact that many refugees have brought few skills with them is thus a considerable challenge.
By the end of 2016, Germany had registered around 1.6 million persons seeking protection (Federal Statistical Office, 2017). In order to facilitate their integration into the vocational training and labour market, information on refugees' educational degrees, vocational qualifications and competencies is of central importance.
By the end of 2016, Germany had registered around 1.6 million persons seeking protection (Federal Statistical Office, 2017a). In order to facilitate their integration into the vocational training and labour market, information on refugees' educational degrees, vocational qualifications and competencies is of central importance.
Approximately every sixth enterprise in Germany already employs refugees as trainees, interns or permanent staff. Of these, smaller trades and skilled crafts firms are making a particularly large contribution to integration.
In the course of 2015 and 2016 about 1.2 million refugees entered Germany. The authors estimate the short- to medium-term effects of this on the country’s economic development using a macro-econometric model.
The influence on a company’s success of cultural diversity within its workforce depends on the wider context. Cultural variety in itself is neither solely beneficial nor detrimental. This is the result of an empirical analysis of Linked-Employer Employee data for Germany about the interaction between culturally diverse groups in firms and its (possible) influence on gross value added.
Up-to-date projections of population development are relevant for many economic issues. Reflecting this, the Cologne Institute for Economic Research’s stochastic population forecast incorporates...
The large immigration of refugees in the last months has shown, that the EU countries should cooperate more closely on migration and development policy. This is not only the opinion of the Expert Council of German Foundation on Integration and Migration – it is also confirmed by calculations of the Cologne Institute for Economic Research.
IW Economic Forecast Spring 2016
IW Economic Forecast Autumn 2015
This year, up to 800,000 refugees are expected to come to Germany. However, the Federal Government does not yet have a convincing concept for a sustainable refugee and asylum policy. In a new study the Cologne Institute for Economic Research (IW Köln) shows what policymakers can do – without repeating past mistakes.
Head of the Research Group Microdata and Method Development
Tel+49 221 4981-718
Mailanger@iwkoeln.de
Senior Economist for Family Policy and Migration Issues
Tel+49 221 4981-705
Mailgeis@iwkoeln.de
