Skilled workers in Germany experience discrimination, according to an OECD study - and are often negatively surprised as soon as they arrive in the country.
The next entry in the unfortunately long series "How we are ruining the fight against the shortage of skilled workers". An OECD survey of foreign skilled workers has revealed a number of unpleasant results:
- Half of immigrants report being disadvantaged when looking for accommodation, only a third had expected this
- 37% report discrimination in public: on the street, in a restaurant, in a store
- One in three experience discrimination at work, neighbors and immigration authorities
- One in four in the children's school
- Only one in three immigrants feels welcome as a skilled worker in Germany. An interesting contrast to the fact that 55% of those who have not yet immigrated say that Germany has a "genuine interest" in skilled workers.
Well, what can you say? Perhaps a certain degree of "disillusionment" is unavoidable when someone moves to a new country and has to find their feet there. But the values above are more than that. They are avoidable and we have a mandate to reduce them. Not only because everyone should be able to live in Germany without discrimination, but also out of selfish interest: It's about the shortage of skilled workers, of course.
The survey reminds me of three things. Firstly, that a few months ago we had an EU study in which black people complained particularly frequently about racism in Germany. Secondly, as I reported just a few days ago about a friend of a friend who got caught up in bureaucratic hell after her settlement permit was stolen. And thirdly, my article on the subject of English in the workplace a few weeks ago: according to the OECD study, 35% of prospective employees who are still abroad believe that they would "also get along well with English" in Germany. So much for disillusionment. Incidentally, only one in three of those who have already moved to Germany still believe this.
