Germany looking for Africans, foreigners to plug workforce shortage

Germany is facing a double-edged sword – a crisis of labour shortage and a demographic imbalance which threaten the country’s economic productivity Germany must bring in at least 400,000 skilled immigrants a year to keep up with demand because of its ageing population and low birth rate A declining labour population threatens Germany’s public pension system, as fewer employees are faced with the duty of funding the pensions of an increasing number of pensioners Europe's largest economy, Germany, is facing a double-edged sword – a crisis of labour shortage and a demographic imbalance which threaten the country’s economic productivity.  The federal labour office estimates that Germany must bring in at least 400,000 skilled immigrants a year to keep up with demand because of its ageing population and low birth rate. In January this year, German Economy and Climate Protection Minister Robert Habeck said that if the European nation did not close the labour gap, they would have real productivity problems.  A declining labour population threatens Germany’s public pension system, as fewer employees are faced with the duty of funding the pensions of an increasing number of pensioners who are enjoying longer life expectancy after decades of low birth rates and