Saleswoman in a bakeryPhoto: iStock
In addition to the retirement of the baby boomer generation and immigration, labor force participation also influences the number of workers available for the labor market. The Federal Statistical Office published figures for the year 2022.
The proportion of employees in Germany who work part-time has recently increased again slightly. For women, it increased by 0.8 percentage points to 49.2 percent last year compared to 2019, and for men by 1.2 percentage points to 12.7 percent, the shared Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Thursday with. In 2010, around 46 percent of women and nine percent of men were still working part-time.
A look at the general participation in the labor market in Germany shows that in 2022 it was at a high level, especially in the age groups from 25 to 59 years: 87 percent of the people in this age group were employed. The proportion of employed men among the 25 to 59 year olds was 92 percent, among women it was 83 percent.
Participation in employment was somewhat lower among 20 to 24 year olds: almost three out of four people (73 percent) were active in the labor market here. According to the Federal Office, it was still two thirds (66 percent) of the 60 to 64 year olds.
Immigrants: differences by region of origin
Among all immigrants, the employment rate between the ages of 25 and 59 was 74 percent. There are clear differences with regard to the regions of origin of the immigrants. While immigrants from countries of the European Union (EU), who often immigrate for business reasons, benefit from the free movement of workers and comparable and quickly recognized professional qualifications, the integration into the labor market for immigrants from other regions of origin is a longer-term process.
In 2022, for example, 81 percent of immigrants from EU countries who stayed for less than five years were employed, and 87 percent 15 to 20 years after moving to the country. The employment rates for immigrants from the Middle East during these periods were 34 percent and 78 percent, respectively, and for immigrants from Africa 55 percent and 73 percent, respectively. This is due, among other things, to the high proportion of immigrants with a refugee background in these groups, which can delay labor market integration due to a lack of entitlements.
Irrespective of their origin, immigrant women are less likely to be employed than immigrant men, especially in the first few years after immigration. In 2022, the proportion of employed women with a stay of less than five years was 48 percent, among men 77 percent of immigrants were employed. 15 to 20 years after immigration, the employment rate of immigrant women reached 73 percent (men 88 percent).
According to the statisticians, one reason for these differences is that women are more likely to move to Germany as family members and are initially not available for the job market due to family commitments. (dts/red)
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