Persons with refugee status and beneficiaries of subsidiary protection have unrestricted access to the labour market, including self-employment, under the same conditions as German citizens.[1] They are entitled to all supportive measures offered by the labour agency. This includes qualification offers and training programmes but also costs which may result from the need to have professional qualifications recognised. There are some specialised training and qualification programmes for migrants from which refugees also benefit, like vocational language courses[2] or integration courses (see below Access to education).
On the Federal level, the BAMF is responsible for ‘Migration counselling for adult immigrants’ (Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer (MBE)) which are then executed by welfare associations and the Federation of Expellees.[3] In 2023, 594,000 people benefitted from the programme.[4] In individual and group counselling sessions the programme support them in their linguistic, professional and social integration. It should enable them to act independently in all matters of daily life. The counselling is in many cases provided in the mother tongue of the beneficiary or in a language the person can understand. The counselling service is solely addressing adult immigrants. However, the MBE refers young adult immigrants under 27 on their website (Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zugewanderte, available at: https://tinyurl.com/38kf4dkj) to a counselling service by the Youth Migration Service (JMD). The JMD is administered by the BMBFSFJ (Federal Ministry of Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Woman and Youth) and offers similar services that are tailored to the needs of young adults, e.g. career planning and youth issues. Since 2019 the service is also provided online through an application which is available in German, Russian, English and Arabic. The counselling measures are available for foreigners in general but can be adapted to the needs of beneficiaries of international protection.[5] For 2023 the Federal government decided to spend in total 81,5 million € for the ‘Migration counselling for adult immigrants’.[6] For 2024, the Federal government initially announced severe cuts and wanted to limit the funding to EUR 57 million. Social welfare associations heavily criticised that the cuts in funding stand in contrast to the rising need due to the increased numbers of immigrants in the last years.[7] Following political pressure from the opposition and the welfare associations, the funding was raised to EUR 77,5 million for 2024. In 2015, ten years after its introduction, the BAMF conducted a first study on the impact of ‘Migration counselling for adult immigrants’.[8] Former clients reported that the program provides diversified information and counselling for different aspects such as labour, access to language classes, and access to social benefits. 46% of former clients mentioned that they needed counselling for support with forms and in contact with public authorities. Clients were mostly satisfied with the counselling, but several mentioned the lack of capacities in staff and regional availability. The 2024 evaluation of the Migration Counselling for Adult Immigrants (MBE) by the DeZIM Institute analysed the program’s resources, client composition, work processes, and overall impact.[9] According to the study, the MBE has proven to be an effective short- to medium-term support system, significantly contributing to the resolution of immediate integration challenges and improving the living conditions of migrants. Clients report high satisfaction with the counselling, which promotes self-reliance and access to integration services, though full integration into regular services is not consistently achieved. Key challenges include limited resources, increasing workloads, and structural barriers, particularly in cooperation with authorities and regular service providers. The report recommends securing sustainable personnel and financial resources, clarifying the scope of MBE tasks, strengthening intercultural opening in regular services, and improving access to language mediation and specialised training for counsellors.
Some Federal States set up additional integration programmes or fund projects of private initiatives which aim at the integration of migrants. North Rhine-Westphalia reformed in 2021 the ‘Act to Support Social Participation and Integration in North Rhine-Westphalia’ (Gesetz zur Förderung der gesellschaftlichen Teilhabe und Integration in Nordrhein-Westfalen) by which the state’s government commits itself to invest at least € 130,000 per year on integration programmes.[10] For the implementation, the state reconceptualised ‘municipal centres of integration’ (Kommunale Integrationszentren) which shall coordinate and conceptualise integration programmes tailored to the needs and existing private initiatives in the municipalities. As for the Federal programmes, the services are open to migrants in general, but some programmes are specifically tailored to beneficiaries of international protection and people with a ‘tolerated stay’ (Duldung).[11] Berlin already introduced a similar Act in 2010 which was though completely revised in 2021. The ‘Act to Support Participation in the Migration Society’ (Gesetz zur Förderung der Partizipation in der Migrationsgesellschaft) foresees likewise to support integration programmes but additionally focuses on the diversification of the administration in Berlin.[12] According to a study from 2022, five states (Berlin, Bavaria, Baden-Wuerttemberg, North-Rhine Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein) implemented regional laws on integration and participation.[13] The study concludes that these regional laws have been successful if they see integration as a task for the whole society and not only the individual migrant. The advantage of these laws is that processes and actors are streamlined and that the laws have a symbolic function in advocating integration and participation. However, the success depends a lot on the political will in the different states according to the study.
Recognition of professional qualifications has been often described as a major practical obstacle to access to the labour market. This does not only affect refugees but other immigrants as well. The main reasons identified are the administrative hurdles since the procedure is highly formalised. The first barrier is that depending on which qualification should be recognised foreigners need to approach different authorities. Secondly, foreigners need to understand whether the recognition of their qualifications is mandatory. The recognition is mandatory for third-country nationals and independently from the nationality for so-called ‘reglemented labour’ (reglementierte Berufe) e.g., teachers, engineers, and health practitioners.[14] Moreover, the recognition usually requires certificates and additional documents. In case foreigners cannot provide these documents, they need to undergo additional tests and contact a counselling person.[15]
In addition to the bureaucratic barriers, the recognitions scheme works largely to the disadvantage of refugee women as their qualifications from the country of origin often do not match the formal requirements for recognitions under German Law.[16] If recognitions take place there is a highly positive effect on the income and the formal level of the labour market involvement of migrants in general and persons granted a protection status in particular.[17] Studies show a significant gender gap in access to the labour market, employment levels as well as remuneration that is far greater than the ‘usual’ gender pay gap in Germany.[18] The German government therefore has set up an information portal offering advice on the necessary procedures (‘Recognition in Germany‘). However, the recognition of qualifications remains challenging despite its clear positive effects on integration into the labour market as well as integration more generally.[19]
Available official statistics on unemployment only distinguish between nationalities, but not between residence statuses of persons concerned. Therefore, it is not possible to determine how many beneficiaries of international protection have successfully integrated into the labour market.
Research on labour market integration of refugees over the last decade highlights both significant progress and persistent challenges. Refugees face unique hurdles compared to other migrant groups, as forced displacement often leaves them unprepared for life in the host country, particularly in terms of language acquisition and professional qualifications. Despite these challenges, long-term trends indicate that their labour market integration improves considerably over time.
An OECD study published in July 2024 emphasises that, while refugees initially have low employment rates — only 34% of refugees are employed upon arrival — these figures improve significantly with time. After five years in Germany, employment rates nearly double, and refugees who have lived in the country for over 20 years show employment rates comparable to the general population. This demonstrates that, while integration takes time, structured support measures yield positive outcomes. However, the study also highlights that Germany has one of the highest overqualification rates among refugees, with less than a third of highly qualified refugees working in roles that match their education. Furthermore, female refugees remain at a particular disadvantage, as they are often affected by multiple intersecting barriers, including their migration status, gender, and limited access to childcare and education opportunities. In Germany, fewer than one-third of refugee women are employed, a rate significantly lower than in other OECD countries.
A ‘brief analysis’ on the integration of refugees into the labour market was published in 2020, based on the IAB-BAMF-SOEP survey, and updated in 2023, providing further insights into employment trends among refugees.[20] According to the study, 54% of refugees found employment within six years, with this figure rising to 62% after seven years. The COVID-19 pandemic initially slowed employment growth, but integration into the labour market accelerated again from 2021 onwards. Encouragingly, 70% of refugees in employment have secured skilled jobs, demonstrating their ability to contribute meaningfully to the German workforce. However, 41% of employed refugees hold jobs below their qualification level, illustrating the ongoing challenges associated with recognising foreign qualifications. The survey also found substantial gender differences, with 67% of refugee men employed within six years, compared to just 23% of refugee women. The study attributes this disparity to unequal investment in language and education, caregiving responsibilities, and different educational backgrounds in refugees’ countries of origin.
Findings from the final report on the IAB-BAMF-SOEP long-term survey, published in November 2020, further support these observations. [21] The study confirms that labour market integration typically occurs within three to five years of arrival. One key factor influencing employment is the duration of asylum procedures—if an asylum process is extended by six months, the likelihood of successful labour market integration drops by 11%. Conversely, securing a stable residence status increases employment chances by 30%, underlining the importance of legal certainty. [22] However, the residence restriction under Section 12a of the Residence Act was found to hinder, rather than support, employment opportunities, despite its initial aim of facilitating integration. [23]
[1] Section 25(2) Residence Act.
[2] See BAMF, ‘German for professional purposes, 7 June 2021, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3rP6W6e.
[3] Federal Ministry of Interior, Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer, available in German at: http://bit.ly/40h6DS5.
[4] BMI, Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zugewanderte, last access 8 June 2025, available in German at: https://bit.ly/3SZZ0xv.
[5] BAMF, Integrationsangebote im Überblick, available at: http://bit.ly/3HNkU1o.
[6] Filiz Polat, Budgeterhöhung für die Migrationsberatungen für erwachsene Einwanderinnen und Einwanderer, Newsletter Flucht, 28 September 2022.
[7] See, AWO, Jede dritte Migrationsberatung vor dem Aus, 13 September 2023, available in German at: https://bit.ly/49gNyDk.
[8] Lisa Brandt, Rebekka Risch, Susanne Lochner, Zehn Jahre Migrationsberatung für erwachsene Zuwanderer (MBE), 2015, available in German at: https://bit.ly/4bxugv4.
[9] Sarah Berndt, Begüm Güngör, Niklas Harder and Alina Mocek, ‘Evaluation of the Migration Counselling for Adult Immigrants (MBE) 2024’ (DeZIM Institute, October 2024), available in German here.
[10] North Rhine-Westphalia, Gesetz zur Förderung der gesellschaftlichen Teilhabe und Integration in Nordrhein-Westfalen (Teilhabe- und Integrationsgesetz – TIntG), 25 November 2021, lastly amended 1 January 2022, available in German at: http://bit.ly/3DwZpPO.
[11] See e.g. Kommunales Integrationszentrum Köln, Durchstarten in Ausbildung und Arbeit, available in German at: http://bit.ly/3YfFHjx.
[12] Gesetz zur Förderung der Partizipation in der Migrationsgesellschaft des Landes Berlin (Partizipationsgesetz – PartMigG) 5 July 2021, lastly amended 2 November 2022, available in German at: http://bit.ly/3kQGA3F.
[13] Sachverständigenrat für Integration und Migration (svr), Integrationsgesetze auf Länderebene: Eine aktualisierte Bestandsaufnahme – und was der Bund daraus lernen kann, 2022, available in Germant at: https://bit.ly/42FUgAi.
[14] All labour where the scope of practice is defined by law is counted as ‚reglemented labour‘.
[15] On the procedure of recognition of qualifications, see: Bundesagentur für Arbeit, Anerkennung von Abschluss und Zeugnis, available in German at: http://bit.ly/3l4l6jP.
[16] See Kosyakova, Yuliya; Gundacker, Lidwina; Salikutluk, Zerrin; Trübswetter, Parvati (2021): Arbeitsmarktintegration in Deutschland: Geflüchtete Frauen müssen viele Hindernisse überwinden. (IAB-Kurzbericht, 08/2021), Nuremberg.
[17] Brücker, Herbert; Glitz, Albrecht; Lerche, Adrian; Romiti, Agnese (2021): Occupational recognition and immigrant labor market outcomes. In: Journal of Labor Economics, Vol. 39, No. 2, S. 1-15.
[18] See in particular: See Kosyakova, Yuliya; Gundacker, Lidwina; Salikutluk, Zerrin; Trübswetter, Parvati (2021): Arbeitsmarktintegration in Deutschland: Geflüchtete Frauen müssen viele Hindernisse überwinden. (IAB-Kurzbericht, 08/2021), Nuremberg.
[19] See on these effects: Brücker, Herbert; Glitz, Albrecht; Lerche, Adrian; Romiti, Agnese (2021): Occupational recognition and immigrant labor market outcomes. In: Journal of Labor Economics, Vol. 39, No. 2, S. 1-15.
[20] Herbert Brücker, Yuliya Kosyakova and Eric Schuß, Fünf Jahre seit der Fluchtmigration 2015: Integration in Arbeitsmarkt und Bildungssystem macht weitere Fortschritte, IAB-Kurzbericht 4/2020, 4 February 2020, available in German here;
Herbert Brücker and others, Entwicklung der Arbeitsmarktintegration seit Ankunft in Deutschland: Erwerbstätigkeit und Löhne von Geflüchteten steigen deutlich, 2023, available in German here.
[21] Herbert Brücker and others, Fünf Jahre ‘Wir schaffen das’ – Eine Bilanz aus der Perspektive des Arbeitsmarktes, IAB-Forschungsbericht 11/2020, Nuremberg, available in German here.
[22] Ibid. 24 ff.
[23] Herbert Brücker, Andreas Hauptmann and Philipp Jaschke, Beschränkungen der Wohnortwahl für anerkannte Geflüchtete: Wohnsitzauflagen reduzieren die Chancen auf Arbeitsmarktintegration, IAB-Kurzbericht 03/2020, Nuremberg, available in German here.