Germany has one of the world’s most rapidly aging and shrinking populations. With one of the world’s lowest birthrates, the country relies on immigration to plug a growing workforce hole.
A Harvard Business School study showed that immigrants in Northern Europe have traditionally started off as a drain on state resources, though some of their wages tend to increase over time, allowing them to contribute back to the state.
The increase of refugees is also expected to affect the labour market, with the ministry saying employment would rise to a record-breaking 43.3 million next year, though the new arrivals will likely push up unemployment by 60,000 in 2016.