Foreign workers increasing in all sectors in Germany as boomers retire

"The employment of German nationals is falling sharply, the baby boomers are really retiring now. However, the number of employed foreigners in Germany is growing across all sectors, especially among Ukrainians and nationals from the most common countries of origin for asylum seekers."

"According to the Federal Ministry of Labour, 5.89 million foreigners were employed in Germany and subject to social security contributions in December. That's 224,000 more than in the previous year. Of these, 74,000 were from Ukraine and a further 65,000 from the eight main asylum countries."

"Labour migration -- that is people moving to Germany specifically with the goal of taking up work -- has also more than doubled since 2020, from 200,000 six years ago to 420,000 as of June 2025."

Germany's labor market is increasingly dependent on foreign workers as employment among German nationals falls sharply due to retirement of baby boomers. In February, the Federal Employment Agency reported that all employment growth came from non-EU nationals. Foreign employment reached 5.89 million in December, up 224,000 from the previous year, with significant increases from Ukrainian and asylum-seeking populations. Labor migration has more than doubled since 2020, rising from 200,000 to 420,000 by June 2025. Currently, 100,000 asylum seekers awaiting decisions have already secured employment. Recent government initiatives to expedite work authorization for asylum seekers are expected to have limited impact.

Read at The Local Germany