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Labour market integration of immigrants in the context of family reunification ,
In 2016, the Research Centre at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees surveyed around 3,100 people who had come to Germany between 2010 and 2015 in the context of family reunification. These included spouses as well as parents who moved to Germany to join their children. The aim of the study was to determine the potential of this group of immigrants for the German labour market.
The most important results of this study:
High level of heterogeneity of the group
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Immigrants who came to Germany to join their families show a high degree of internal heterogeneity. For example, the proportion of women, the immigration category (spouses/parents), the length of stay and the average age of entry as well as schooling and vocational training vary greatly depending on the group of origin, which in turn means that the conditions for integration into the labour market also vary.
Knowledge of the German language prior to entry
64 per cent of the respondents had already learned German before moving to Germany, 82 per cent had received a certificate for their German language skills, 76 per cent were at least at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Nevertheless, only 49 per cent rate their German skills as good or very good. Having a better command of the German language significantly increases the likelihood of gainful employment.
Education and training in the country of origin
95 per cent of immigrants have attended school in their country or origin, 61 per cent have completed vocational training or a course of study, of whom 91 per cent have a corresponding certificate. Men are significantly more likely than women to have completed vocational training, but are less likely to have a university degree.
Gender-specific differences also exist in the sector or field of study: For men, the focus is on IT and natural sciences, for women on trade, social, cultural or medical occupations.
Recognition of qualifications obtained abroad
Only 28 per cent of those in possession of a vocational education and training certificate obtained abroad have applied in Germany for recognition of this certificate or for equivalence to be established. 77 per cent of these recognition procedures had been completed by the time the survey was carried out; the majority (89 per cent) had their qualifications recognised as (partly) equivalent.
Gainful employment
In the year before they immigrated to Germany, 56 per cent of respondents were in employment, including men who were significantly more likely to be employed and to have been employed longer than women. At the time the survey was carried out in Germany, 35 per cent were in gainful employment; here, too, the proportion of men was significantly higher than that of women. However, this difference decreases with the increasing level of qualification of the job performed. At the same time, the presence of children in the household has a particularly negative effect on the probability of employment among women.
Satisfaction with professional situation
Just under one-third (34 percent) of the respondents is very or quite satisfied with their professional situation. These are the worst values compared to satisfaction with other areas of life (e.g. income, family situation, health situation). Immigrants who were not gainfully employed at the time the survey was carried out were particularly dissatisfied with their professional situation (60 per cent). This indicates that there is a strong desire for participation in the labour market.
On the basis of these findings, the authors of the study identify (work-related) language promotion, the recognition of vocational qualifications obtained abroad, the compatibility of family and working life as well as initial and ongoing training opportunities as key areas for action in order to more effectively tap the labour market potential of immigrants in the context of family reunification.
The report is only available in German.
Authors of the research report: Marie Wälde, Katalin Evers