The number of working Ukrainians in Germany has grown noticeably over the year
About 400 thousand Ukrainian citizens are already working in Germany, of whom almost 350 thousand have jobs with mandatory contributions to the social security system. Over the past year, the number of employed Ukrainians has increased by approximately 64 thousand people.
This was reported by n-tv, citing data from the Federal Employment Agency of Germany (Bundesagentur für Arbeit).
According to the latest available data, the employment rate of Ukrainian citizens in Germany reached 39.7% in June. Thus, about four and a half years after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion, the share of Ukrainians integrated into the German labor market continues to grow.
Especially significant is the number of Ukrainians working with contributions to the social security system. There are already almost 350 thousand of them – the vast majority of the roughly 400 thousand employed Ukrainian citizens.
Work with compulsory social insurance in Germany involves the payment of contributions by both the employee and the employer, which finance pensions, health insurance, unemployment and long-term care insurance among other things. Therefore, the growth of this category indicates not only an increase in part-time jobs, but also the inclusion of Ukrainians in the regular labor market.
The Federal Employment Agency notes a stable positive trend. On average, the number of working Ukrainians in the country is now increasing by more than 5 thousand people monthly.
Over the year, the increase amounted to about 64 thousand people. If this dynamic continues, the number of employed Ukrainian citizens will continue to rise even against the backdrop of the overall difficult situation on the German labor market.
At the same time, the number of Ukrainians receiving basic social assistance is decreasing. According to the latest data for May, 474,534 Ukrainian citizens were in this category.
Over the year, their number decreased by 19,163 people, or 3.9%. The decline in the number of social assistance recipients is happening simultaneously with the growth of employment, although these indicators cannot be directly compared: some employed people may retain entitlement to certain benefits if their income is insufficient, and among recipients of basic support there are people who are not yet working for various reasons.
In recent years, German authorities have increased pressure on the labor integration system for Ukrainians. The main goal was to accelerate the transition from language and integration programs directly to employment. Particular attention was paid to people who had already completed language courses and were given the opportunity to enter the labor market.
At the same time, the employment rate of 39.7% shows that the potential for further growth remains significant. Among the obstacles to employment of Ukrainians, German employment agencies previously cited the need to learn the language, recognition of qualifications and diplomas, childcare, as well as mismatch between existing professions and available vacancies.
Against this backdrop, the current dynamics differ markedly from the first years after the start of the full-scale war, when a large share of newly arrived Ukrainians were still undergoing language and integration courses and remained outside the labor market.
Employment growth also matters for the German budget: more socially insured workers mean additional tax revenues and contributions, while fewer basic assistance recipients reduce the burden on the social benefits system.
