The return of Syrian refugees to their country could have negative consequences for the German economy and create problems for areas where there is a shortage of workers, DPA reported, citing an analysis published today.
There are currently around 80,000 Syrians working in positions where there is a shortage of workers, such as car mechanics, doctors, dentists and workers who deal with heating and cooling equipment, according to a study by the German Economic Institute in Cologne.
In the automotive sector, there are more than 4,000 people who currently work as mechanics in areas where almost 70% of the positions cannot be filled by qualified professionals, the analysis says.
Around 5,300 Syrians work as doctors in Germany. Their return to Syria will exacerbate the shortage of skilled workers and lead to supply bottlenecks, the study said.
"Syrian workers are important for the German labor market. They make a significant contribution to mitigating the effects of the labor shortage in Germany," said economist and study author Fabian Zemzara.
Zemzara called on politicians to ensure that Syrians who are employed remain and believes that the contribution of Syrian specialists is often underestimated.
According to the Federal Employment Agency in Germany between June 2023 and May 2024 Just over 213,500 people of Syrian origin are employed, resulting in funds flowing into the German social security system, including for pensioners.
Of these, 86,000 are employed in support positions and 127,000 are in skilled jobs for specialists with vocational training or completed education in the specific field. Around 155,000 are registered as unemployed and can be immediately employed, the study shows.
The study was carried out after union and company leaders called on the German government to ensure that Syrian workers can stay in the country after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime. A study published earlier found that if Syrian workers leave, the difficulties employers experience in finding staff will worsen.