DeZIM Lunch Discussion | Recruitment Alone Is Not Enough

What Keeps International Professionals in Germany

When: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 1:30–2:30 p.m.
Where: DeZIM Institute, Mauerstraße 76, 10117 Berlin

Please register by 12:00 p.m. on October 20 using the following link: REGISTRATION

Germany relies on international skilled workers. Consequently, there is significant political attention focused on recruitment, entry into the country, and access to the labor market. However, whether international skilled workers stay in Germany in the long term is not determined solely by whether they are able to enter the country and begin working. Equally relevant are the professional and social opportunities they encounter and the conditions under which they are willing and able to stay long-term.

The Lunch Discussion therefore focuses on the period following arrival. It examines how working conditions, legal security, career development opportunities, and social integration interact and influence decisions to stay.

The discussion also centers on the question of which of these conditions can be shaped by policymakers, employment agencies, businesses, and social partners. Where are the effective levers for change, what conflicting goals exist, and where does institutional control reach its limits?

The event brings together perspectives from research, employment agencies, and labor unions. Participants will discuss what is needed not only to successfully attract international skilled workers but also to retain them in Germany over the long term.

Key Questions

  • What findings are there regarding immigrants’ intentions to stay or leave, and what do they mean for the debate on skilled workers?

  • How do working conditions, legal security, career development opportunities, and social integration influence decisions to stay?

  • What role do employment agencies, companies, and social partners play after arrival and the start of employment?

  • What political and institutional levers can support long-term retention, and what are the limits of their effectiveness?

Contributors

  • Thomas Friedrich, Division Head in the International Affairs Division of the Federal Employment Agency

  • Rebecca Liebig, Member of the ver.di Federal Executive Board, responsible for labor market and social policy

  • Dr. Niklas Harder, Co-Director of the Integration Department, DeZIM Institute

Moderator

  • Sophie Crocoll, Editor, Berlin Bureau, WirtschaftsWoche