Immigration is the key: Saxony-Anhalt is fighting for economic growth!

Immigration is the key: Saxony-Anhalt is fighting for economic growth!

The economic landscape of Saxony-Anhalt is facing a decisive turning point. The regional directorate of the Federal Employment Agency repeatedly emphasizes that the country depends on immigration to secure long-term economic growth. The trend is clear: the number of German employees subject to social security contributions has been falling since 2017, which has a noticeable impact on economic stability. This is highlighted by recent data showing that the number of foreign employees has increased from 7,200 in 2010 to a remarkable 65,200 in 2024. The largest group is made up of Poles with 13,400, followed by Romanians with 6,800 and Syrians with 5,100.

Markus Behrens, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Regional Directorate, emphasizes that cross-agency digitalization is urgently needed to speed up immigration procedures. The number of approvals for admission to the labor market rose from 3,700 in 2022 to 7,400 in 2024. These developments show that immigration is a key to overcoming the shortage of skilled workers in the region.

The shortage of skilled workers in Saxony-Anhalt

The picture becomes more serious when you look at the long-term forecasts. According to reports, there may be a shortage of more than 216,000 working-age people by 2035 if appropriate immigration measures are not taken. These alarming figures were recently published in a comprehensive analysis, which makes it clear that Saxony-Anhalt urgently needs measures to attract workers and skilled workers from the EU and third countries. From 2013 to 2022, a significant change in the labor market can be observed: the number of foreign employees increased from 11,700 to 51,100, while the number of German employees fell by 4,400.

A look at the demographic structure shows that almost 70% of foreign employees are men and the proportion of women is 31%. In addition, 78% of foreign workers are aged between 25 and under 55 - a key group that is essential to the future of the economy. Foreign workers are particularly popular in the manufacturing sector.

The new opportunity card and its meaning

A promising step is the introduction of the job search opportunity card, which has been in force since June 1, 2024. This enables third-country nationals who have equivalent qualifications or certain educational certificates to access the German labor market. The minimum requirements are quite manageable: basic knowledge of German or English and points for qualifications, professional experience and age are crucial.

The opportunity card can initially be issued for a maximum of one year and offers the option of extending it for another two years if there is a qualified job offer. In addition, the Western Balkan regulation has been extended, which makes it easier for citizens of countries such as Albania and Montenegro to access the labor market - here too, the Federal Employment Agency has set an annual quota of 50,000 approval.

Entrepreneurs such as Gerlach, who runs a butcher shop with several branches, describe the specific challenges: Four to five employees retire every year - that's around ten percent of the workforce. He is therefore looking for qualified workers in Eastern Europe to fill his positions. The pressure is increasing because around one in eight employees in Saxony-Anhalt is over 60 years old. The number of employees has remained largely stable in recent years due to immigration, while the local workforce continues to shrink.

These developments not only illustrate the necessity of immigration for the economic stability of Saxony-Anhalt, but also the opportunities that can be created through strategic measures. Let us remain curious to see how the region responds to these challenges and develops further.

For more information visit Tixio, Federal Employment Agency and MDR.