Immigration of skilled workers in accordance with section 18 of the Residence Act (AufenthG) from third states to Germany , Date: 2012.07.26, Order number: FFWP44, format: Working paper, area: Authority

Working Paper 44 provides information on the results of a survey which took place at the beginning of 2011. Labour migrants from third states were surveyed on their socioeconomic factors such as training, knowledge of language, professional situation, motives for migration and intentions to remain, as well as their relatives.

The survey did not target the highly qualified who immigrate in accordance with section 19 of the Residence Act (AufenthaltsgesetzAufenthG), and who were already surveyed in 2008 (cf. Working Paper 28). It was nonetheless revealed that labour migrants under section 18 of the Act are very highly qualified. 86.8 percent of the respondents had completed their studies in Germany or abroad.

As befits their good level of training, the vast majority of the migrants work as managers (10 percent, primarily from Japan and the USA) and academics or researchers (66.6 percent). Engineers form the largest group among the academics as well as among all professional groups.

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Barbara Heß

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As was already the case among the highly qualified under section 19 of the Residence Act, the push factors of labour migrants under section 18 of the Act are less significant than their pull factors. The work-related factors in Germany are of primary importance here (jobs, companies, careers).

45.3 percent of labour migrants plan a prolonged stay (more than ten years), and 24.3 percent of them a medium-term stay (5-10 years), whilst 30.3 percent intend to stay only for a short time. Individuals from economically-successful countries (such as the USA, Japan, Canada and Australia) intend to stay for a much shorter period than immigrants from the Russian Federation and the other European third states, the Middle East and the African countries.

The study was written by: Barbara Heß

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