Germany to woo Indian students to tackle labour market shortages
The German government is addressing labor shortages by focusing on attracting Indian students who form the largest group of international students in the country. Dr. Joybrato Mukherjee of the German Academic Exchange Service emphasized the import...
By ET Online | Updated:
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With a record number of Indian students attending German universities, and with Indians comprising the largest group of international students in Germany, the German government is also concentrating on resolving its labour shortages, reported TOI.
“At 43000, Indian students form the largest number of international students in Germany. It is important to make the German labour market attractive for Indian students after they get their educational degrees to address the increasing gap in skilled workers in the German labour market,” German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) president, Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, said during a press briefing in New Delhi.
He added that following the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last year; and Germany’s newly enacted Skilled Immigration Act; Indian students will find a smoother pathway into the German labour market. “For Indian students, who have got German degrees many of which are taught in English; the way to getting employment in Germany and other Schengen area countries is now more attractive. We believe in the concept of brain circulation rather than brain drain and we think that international students who are well qualified can follow a very successful professional career path in Germany,” Dr Mukherjee said.
Data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany reveals a 26 per cent increase in the count of Indian students in Germany over the past year, reaching 42,997 for the winter semester of 2022-23. Indians constitute the predominant cohort of international students at German universities, with engineering being the most favored discipline at 60 per cent, followed by law, management, and social studies at 22 per cent, and mathematics and natural sciences at 14 per cent, among the sought-after fields of study.
Recently, as the new Act came into effect on March 1, 2024; the German government has also allowed international students from outside the European Union to work up to 20 hours per week (an increase from the previous limit of 10 hours). This rule will also cover students who go to Germany to search for educational programmes but have not enrolled yet to a university and those doing German language training courses.
(With TOI inputs)
“At 43000, Indian students form the largest number of international students in Germany. It is important to make the German labour market attractive for Indian students after they get their educational degrees to address the increasing gap in skilled workers in the German labour market,” German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) president, Dr Joybrato Mukherjee, said during a press briefing in New Delhi.
He added that following the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz last year; and Germany’s newly enacted Skilled Immigration Act; Indian students will find a smoother pathway into the German labour market. “For Indian students, who have got German degrees many of which are taught in English; the way to getting employment in Germany and other Schengen area countries is now more attractive. We believe in the concept of brain circulation rather than brain drain and we think that international students who are well qualified can follow a very successful professional career path in Germany,” Dr Mukherjee said.
Data from the Federal Statistical Office of Germany reveals a 26 per cent increase in the count of Indian students in Germany over the past year, reaching 42,997 for the winter semester of 2022-23. Indians constitute the predominant cohort of international students at German universities, with engineering being the most favored discipline at 60 per cent, followed by law, management, and social studies at 22 per cent, and mathematics and natural sciences at 14 per cent, among the sought-after fields of study.
Recently, as the new Act came into effect on March 1, 2024; the German government has also allowed international students from outside the European Union to work up to 20 hours per week (an increase from the previous limit of 10 hours). This rule will also cover students who go to Germany to search for educational programmes but have not enrolled yet to a university and those doing German language training courses.
Not only is Germany home to some of the best universities in the world - you can actually study there for free.
(With TOI inputs)
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