Berlin mulls measures to attract skilled foreign workers
Germany plans to adopt measures aimed at plugging a shortage of qualified workers in certain sectors by attracting foreign candidates, an official spokesman said Monday.
Although the ministry spokesman did not provide details, the confirmation came after a newspaper said Saturday that authorities were mulling an "index of worker needs."
The report said officials could poll 7,000 companies each month to determine what kinds of skills were needed in the coming six months and adapt the granting of work visas accordingly.
A spokesman for the Labour Ministry "neither denied, nor confirmed" the report but acknowledged that the search was on for a "control system to identify needs." Government spokesman Thomas Steg said the subject had been discussed intensively, in particular between the Social Democrat labour minister and his conservative counterpart at the interior ministry. A blueprint is expected to be presented to the full cabinet on either July 16 or 23, Steg added.
Certain sectors in Europe's biggest economy, notably high-tech firms, are handicapped by a serious shortage of engineers, programmers and qualified technicians. Business experts say measures taken by the government to date have been too restrictive and have not noticeably improved the situation.
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Although the ministry spokesman did not provide details, the confirmation came after a newspaper said Saturday that authorities were mulling an "index of worker needs."
The report said officials could poll 7,000 companies each month to determine what kinds of skills were needed in the coming six months and adapt the granting of work visas accordingly.
A spokesman for the Labour Ministry "neither denied, nor confirmed" the report but acknowledged that the search was on for a "control system to identify needs." Government spokesman Thomas Steg said the subject had been discussed intensively, in particular between the Social Democrat labour minister and his conservative counterpart at the interior ministry. A blueprint is expected to be presented to the full cabinet on either July 16 or 23, Steg added.
Certain sectors in Europe's biggest economy, notably high-tech firms, are handicapped by a serious shortage of engineers, programmers and qualified technicians. Business experts say measures taken by the government to date have been too restrictive and have not noticeably improved the situation.
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