Germany is forcing some asylum seekers to work, when they just want real jobs
==========
Germany is implementing low-paid, mandatory work programs for some asylum seekers as a means of integration, but it has stirred controversy. The programs are seen as engines of integration by proponents, while critics view them as slave labor and populist attempts to win back voters from the far right. The district of Saale-Orla-Kries in the eastern state of Thuringia has implemented one of these pilot projects for Syrian immigrants, where they work three days a week at a sports association for about $0.86 an hour. The legislation that allows compulsory community work for low rates has been on the books for 30 years but has rarely been implemented. Critics argue that the programs pander to anti-immigration sentiment and false narratives about "work-shy asylum seekers" ahead of key elections in three eastern German states. Germany's labor market is in need of workers due to an aging population and a lack of skilled workers, requiring 400,000 new workers annually to sustain economic growth. Asylum seekers in Germany can look for employment without a work permit after six months in the country, but they face obstacles such as language barriers and qualifications not recognized by German authorities. A study found that of those who arrived in 2015, just under two-thirds had found jobs by 2022, but 41% were working below their level of employment before moving to Germany. Syrian refugees have made a dent in the shortage of skilled workers in the medical profession, with the number of working doctors from Syria increasing fivefold since 2012.
#Germany #AsylumSeekers #WorkPrograms #Integration #Controversy #LaborMarket #SkilledWorkers #LanguageBarriers #Qualifications #MedicalProfession
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/15/germany-jobs-migrants-asylum-seekers/
The Washington Post /
npub1nw…97m8h
2024-07-13 12:20:27
Author Public Key
npub1nwad78hejfewj63p264uf2sxh0a5az753pw7auscrlupefjtr27sp97m8hPublished at
2024-07-13 12:20:27Event JSON
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"content": "Germany is forcing some asylum seekers to work, when they just want real jobs\n==========\n\nGermany is implementing low-paid, mandatory work programs for some asylum seekers as a means of integration, but it has stirred controversy. The programs are seen as engines of integration by proponents, while critics view them as slave labor and populist attempts to win back voters from the far right. The district of Saale-Orla-Kries in the eastern state of Thuringia has implemented one of these pilot projects for Syrian immigrants, where they work three days a week at a sports association for about $0.86 an hour. The legislation that allows compulsory community work for low rates has been on the books for 30 years but has rarely been implemented. Critics argue that the programs pander to anti-immigration sentiment and false narratives about \"work-shy asylum seekers\" ahead of key elections in three eastern German states. Germany's labor market is in need of workers due to an aging population and a lack of skilled workers, requiring 400,000 new workers annually to sustain economic growth. Asylum seekers in Germany can look for employment without a work permit after six months in the country, but they face obstacles such as language barriers and qualifications not recognized by German authorities. A study found that of those who arrived in 2015, just under two-thirds had found jobs by 2022, but 41% were working below their level of employment before moving to Germany. Syrian refugees have made a dent in the shortage of skilled workers in the medical profession, with the number of working doctors from Syria increasing fivefold since 2012.\n\n#Germany #AsylumSeekers #WorkPrograms #Integration #Controversy #LaborMarket #SkilledWorkers #LanguageBarriers #Qualifications #MedicalProfession\n\nhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/07/15/germany-jobs-migrants-asylum-seekers/",
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