The digital industry association Bitkom has spoken out in favor of attracting IT specialists from Russia and Belarus who want to emigrate to Germany. This could also alleviate the significant shortage of skilled labor in the Federal Republic. “By bringing skilled workers from Russia and Belarus to us, the aggressor is noticeably weakened – and at the same time, Germany is strengthened as a location,” Bitkom president Achim Berg said on Monday.
According to Bitkom, there are currently 96,000 IT expert vacancies in Germany. Experts believe that the situation in the labor market will deteriorate further in the coming years as specialists from the baby boom cohorts retire and every second vacancy can be filled again. At the same time, Russia in particular is experiencing a true exodus. Tens of thousands of professionals fled the country after Russia attacked Ukraine. Against the background of mass emigration, Russian Deputy Interior Minister Igor Zubov estimated the need for experts at around 170,000 in June.
Bitkom has now asked the German government to launch a #greencard22 program immediately. As with the green card in the early 2000s, a work permit must be issued within a week to IT specialists from Russia and Belarus if they have a specific job in Germany. The association also called for an accelerated job-search visa procedure. In addition, the requirements for knowledge of German for entering the country should be lowered. “You can do that later. In addition, the IT specialists mainly speak English,” says Berg.
Security check
At the same time, Bitkom’s plan foresees measures to eliminate potential secret and tamper-security threats. In the current situation, IT specialists who want to emigrate would be subject to an official security check in each individual case. At the same time, it must be checked whether the candidates reject the Russian war of aggression, which is contrary to international law, and share the main principles and values of democracy in Germany.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
