Refugees as economic drivers: Düsseldorf’s success story!

Refugees as economic drivers: Düsseldorf’s success story!

Since 2016, refugees have enriched the economy in Düsseldorf and have made a significant contribution to the revival of all sectors of the economy. The chairwoman of the employment agency's management board, Birgitta Kubsch-von Harten, emphasizes how important these people are for the city. A job not only gives them an income, but also the chance to learn German and integrate better into society, which has a positive impact on community life. This reports antennaduesseldorf.de.

The immigration of asylum seekers has brought a number of challenges for Germany since its peak in 2015 - particularly in the areas of accommodation, material supplies and access to the labor market. Between 2013 and 2016, around 1.5 million people applied for asylum in Germany. To meet these challenges, institutional changes were introduced that were intended to accelerate the labor market integration of asylum seekers, according to the Federal Agency for Civic Education ( bpb.de ).

Labor market access and integration

The integration of refugees into the labor market results in economic independence and an improved quality of life for many of them. This also relieves the burden on the welfare state and reduces the shortage of skilled workers. In 2020, almost one in four companies in Germany employed refugees, with larger companies in particular playing a leading role here. Despite these positive trends, asylum seekers continue to face challenges.

One of the explained reasons for this is the long access times to the labor market. A large proportion of asylum seekers, whose qualifications were mostly acquired in their country of origin, are confronted with the fact that these qualifications are often not recognized. Around 70% of the refugees surveyed were employed in their home countries, but labor market participation in Germany is severely limited, particularly among women, who have fewer chances of finding a job. This is due, among other things, to language barriers and different qualification requirements.

Support through language courses and qualifications

In order to increase the employment opportunities of refugees, there are extensive opportunities for (further) qualification in Germany. Language and integration courses that are supported by legal changes have high participation rates. Employers show different assessments of refugee employees; While large companies recognize potential benefits, smaller companies often have concerns about language barriers and lack of skills. However, studies have shown that more than 50% of employable refugees are successfully integrated into the labor market after five years.

Overall, it can be said that refugees not only represent an enrichment for the Düsseldorf economy, but also demonstrate a positive development in integration into the labor market, despite the existing challenges. The measures taken by the Federal Employment Agency to promote this integration are of central importance in order to further increase labor force participation and reduce barriers.