Skilled workers wanted in Europe

Employees working in Siemens, the German engineering company, now stand a chance to win 3,000 euros (S$6,200), just by recommending the company new talent. Some of those who were over 55 who got retrenched a few years ago have been called back to work, AsiaOne reports.

The German economy is recovering, but as many other countries in Europe are now experiencing a shortage of skilled labour, this has prompted some European countries to implement new policies to attract new workers. In the case of Germany, the lack of skilled labor has gotten so critical that it has identified a need for a revision of immigration laws to entice more foreigners.

Around 3.8 million Germans are still jobless due to a mismatch of skills. Companies need engineers, computer specialists and people with specialized technical skills, but many of them are not trained in these fields.

The Economics and Technology Minister, Michael Glos, is currently considering revising the salary requirement for foreigners, who currently require an annual salary of 85,500 euros to qualify for a work permit in Germany.

This decision is also supported by the German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, who noted that foreign students in German universities should be permitted to stay if they have job offers with annual salaries of at least 40,000 euros, mainly because they will very likely be familiar with Germany and also be well-integrated into the culture.