Merkel to Encourage Business Leaders to Hire Refugees, Reports Bild

Chancellor Merkel Advocates for Increased Refugee Hiring at Upcoming Summit

BERLIN – Chancellor Angela Merkel has extended an invitation to executives from Germany’s largest listed companies for a summit next month, where she plans to emphasize the importance of hiring more refugees, according to a report by Bild.

Last year, over one million migrants entered Germany, prompting the government to seek ways to integrate them into the job market. This initiative aims to lessen their reliance on state support and address labor shortages arising from an aging workforce.

During the summit, Merkel is expected to encourage hesitant German companies to provide more traineeships and job positions to refugees. The larger corporations have faced criticism for not doing enough to support the integration of refugees into the flourishing employment market.

Many companies argue that the majority of new arrivals lack the necessary language skills and education for available jobs. Major corporations such as Siemens, chemicals group Evonik, car manufacturers Opel and VW, as well as utility company RWE, are anticipated to discuss the outcomes of their pilot projects involving refugees with Merkel.

Merkel’s office has not confirmed the report but is expected to hold the meeting at the chancellery on September 14.

A previous report from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung indicated that as of June, the 30 largest DAX-listed firms had employed only 54 refugees, with logistics provider Deutsche Post accounting for 50 of those hires.

Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel recently called on large companies to enhance their support for refugees, noting that their contributions have been modest in comparison to the efforts of small and medium-sized enterprises, which are considered the backbone of Germany’s economy.

The influx of more than 1.1 million migrants last year was largely composed of individuals fleeing conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq.