Germany lists the non-EU workers it needs

The German government has for the first time published a list of jobs it wants to fill with workers from outside the European Union to counter labour shortages in the ageing nation.

The jobs include hospital nurses and caregivers for the elderly, robotics experts, electricians and train drivers. Applicants must present qualifications deemed equal to those in Germany.

The new list reveals that “companies in many industries are desperately looking for qualified people — not only engineers, but also for skilled worker,”says Labour Minister Ursula von der Leyen.

Faced with a shrinking population and enjoying low unemployment, Europe’s biggest economy is seeking such selective immigration for the first time in a programme run by its federal labour agency.