From Crisis to Contribution: Refugees in Germany Exceed Expectations
Germany has made significant progress in integrating refugees into society and the labor market, according to migration expert Herbert Brücker from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB). In his assessment of the refugee influx that began ten years ago, Brücker told the Handelsblatt that Germany, along with Norway, is far ahead of other European countries such as Denmark, the Netherlands, and Italy.
Broker emphasized that the integration process could have been more successful if it weren't for the mistake of distributing a large number of refugees to economically weak areas suffering from high unemployment rates. However, the overall performance of the country exceeded expectations.
One of the most notable results is the strong participation of refugees in the labor market. The employment rate of male refugees who arrived in 2015 has now surpassed the national average. Most of them have become financially self-reliant, and more than half are working as skilled workers or in higher-level jobs.
Broker pointed out that many refugees possess skills far greater than what their limited formal qualifications might suggest, explaining that prevailing perceptions in Germany often underestimate the capabilities and actual contributions of refugees.
In many cases, the professional backgrounds of refugees are similar to those in Germany, despite differences in their educational systems. For example, workers in the retail sector in Germany usually undergo formal commercial training, while in countries like Syria or Iraq, people performed the same or similar work without recognized certificates. This, according to Brocker, illustrates that qualifications on paper do not always reflect true abilities and experiences.