Federal Statistical Office: 27 percent of employees with an immigration background

Care, catering, construction or logistics: employees with a history of immigration are indispensable in many areas of the German economy. More than a quarter (27 percent) of all employees in 2025 have roots abroad, as the Federal Statistical Office announced based on data from the microcensus.

Especially in many sectors with a shortage of skilled workers, employees with an immigration background are represented above average. In 2025, 56 percent of cooks had an immigration background. The proportion was also high in food production (55 percent), bus and tram drivers and service staff in restaurants (47 percent each).

Above average Many people work in nursing

The proportion was also significantly above average in nursing (33 percent) and in professional drivers in freight transport (41 percent). A similar picture emerges in other so-called bottleneck occupations, such as hotel service (40 percent) or nursing and geriatric care (33 percent). According to the Federal Employment Agency, bottleneck occupations are those in which there is or is a threat of a shortage of skilled workers.

In contrast, the proportion of people with an immigrant background in other shortage occupations such as emergency services (seven percent) or in agriculture (15 percent) was low. According to the data, people with a history of immigration are also underrepresented in the police force (eight percent), in public administration (nine percent) and among teachers (nine to ten percent).

Integration depends on length of stay

According to statisticians, integration into the labor market depends on the region of origin and the length of stay. Of the men who immigrated from the EU and lived in Germany for less than five years, 89 percent were employed. For women it was 73 percent.

Among immigrants from Africa it was 79 percent of men and 47 percent of women. According to the data, the proportion of immigrants from the Middle East was 57 percent of men and 28 percent of women.

However, employment rates increase as the length of stay increases. After 20 to 25 years in the country, approximately 87 percent of men and 79 percent of women from the Middle East were employed.

For comparison: In the total population aged 25 to 59, the employment rate was 88 percent for men and 81 percent for women. According to the Federal Office's definition, a person has an immigration history if they or both parents have immigrated to Germany since 1950.