Germany eyes Indian students to tide over acute labour shortage

Germany is facing an acute labour crisis and eyeing Indian students to fill the critical gaps that could otherwise cripple its industries. Germany has recently brought in a law to double the work time for international students, of which Indians form the biggest bloc.

There are around 43,000 Indian students at German universities, according to Germany’s Federal Statistical Office. Germany saw a 26% increase in Indian students in the country for the winter semester of 2022-23.

Considered Europe’s economic engine, Germany has seen 20 years of solid growth but it is now sputtering. All because of labour woes.

Germany had around 700,000 vacancies across sectors and its economic growth potential had fallen to 0.7% from around 2% in the 1980s and could fall to 0.5% if it failed to resolve this problem, German Economy Minister Robert Habeck said in February.

As German society ages, official estimates suggest that the country will be short of seven million skilled workers by 2035.

That is why Germany is now looking at international students, especially Indian students, to shore up its industries.

GERMANY INCREASES INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS’ WORK HOURS

Germany recently passed the Skilled Immigration Act, doubling the time international students are allowed to work to 20 hours a week.

“By providing opportunities to international students, the state not only aims to attract skilled individuals but also to cultivate a pipeline of talent for the workforce,” Enzo Weber, an employment research specialist at the University of Regensburg, told German media outlet Deutsche Welle (DW).

DW quoted a couple of Indian students who were enthusiastic about the idea of working while studying in Germany.

“If you have the right skills and certification, with a decent salary, life becomes easier. Also, there are options for permanent residency,” said Suryansh, an Indian student at TU Dresden.

Another student from India, Mohammad Rahman Khan, said there was a significant demand for tech and programing-related roles compared to other sectors in Germany. Khan, 26, is studying mechatronics and robotics at Leibniz University Hannover.

The shortage of skilled labour is severe in the hospitality, healthcare, IT and engineering sectors.

GERMANY IS EYEING INDIAN STUDENTS FOR INDUSTRY

At 43,000, Indian students formed the largest number of international students in Germany, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) president, Joybrato Mukherjee, said in New Delhi in March.

“It is important to make the German labour market attractive for Indian students after they get their educational degrees to address the increasing gap in skilled workers in the German labour market,” Joybrato Mukherjee said.

Around 60% of Indian students enroled at German universities are studying engineering, which suits the European country. Germany is known for its engineering products worldwide.

“Indian students in Germany are enroled in IT and engineering courses at an above-average rate, making them an important group for the labour market and for combating the shortage of skilled workers,” Michael Flacke, spokesperson for DAAD, told DW.

Riya Joseph, a 24-year-old PhD student from Kerala at TU Dresden, told DW that the idea of seamless work after studies was “promising”. However, she added that much needed to be done on the ground.

As Germany grapples with an acute labour shortage and looks to international students, it is a golden opportunity for Indians who are looking for after-work experience and those eyeing permanent residency in a European country.