Beschäftigung von Ausländern : Chance zur Erschließung von Personal- und Qualifikationsreserven (Employment of foreigners : a chance to tap workforce and qualification reserves)

"On the basis of broad empirical data, the paper examines the longer-term development and the level of integration into the labour market of resident foreigners, and, as a preliminary stage of this integration, the participation of their children and grandchildren, most of whom were born here, in the education and training system. Discrepancies to the levels and structures of the German workforce and young Germans, are regarded as integration deficits and as 'reserves' that could be used in future - among other options - to better meet the economic and demographic requirements, without aiming at the immigrants' assimilation. This is especially true from a sectoral viewpoint and with regard to the necessary structural change in the employment of foreigners. Speeding up this process could result in a reduction of unemployment among foreigners living in Germany, and with it a drop in these expenses of the 'non-integration' of immigrants, as could an increased participation of young foreigners in the education and training system. The latter has indeed increased considerably over the past two decades and has come closer to their German counterparts' participation in education, however it still lags far behind. This catching-up process has to be promoted further. In future, 'modern' concepts of an immigration policy need to be pursued which control immigration in accordance with labour market demands and recruit qualified immigrants. However, international competition for 'the best and the brightest' is getting tougher. This is why it is necessary to focus more on making full use of local potentials." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))