A large number of hotels and restaurants in Germany are facing staff shortages, in addition to visa delays for foreign workers, which are slowing the recovery process of the travel and tourism industry in this country.
According to a Deutsche Welle report, help could come from abroad if the administrative process weren’t so slow, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
The owner of the Gaststätte Röhrl restaurant, Muk Röhrl, said that German trainees are challenging to find.
“Nobody wants to work in the restaurant business anymore,” he stressed, so he looked abroad to find staff members.
The shortage of personnel in hotels as well as the catering sector, has worsened notably during the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular in the catering sector. In addition, it was revealed that last year, the personnel deficit there was still 11.8 per cent, based on the recent figures provided by the German Federal Statistical Office.
“Working conditions are very demanding, and many jobs in this area are mentally and physically gruelling,” the managing director at the German Hotel and Restaurant Association (DEHOGA), Sandra Warden, pointed out in this regard.
At the same time, the German Federal Foreign Office stressed that it is aware of the difficulties and visa delays.
“We have already addressed the problem of the sometimes long waiting and processing times for visas for skilled workers and employment visas,” the Office told DW.
Earlier this year, the German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) said that more than half of companies in Germany are struggling to fill vacancies following a lack of skilled workers.
In addition, the data provided by the Institute for Employment Research revealed that the country is dealing with 1.98 million job vacancies while confirming that authorities in Germany are considering easing labour migration legislation in order to manage the current situation.
But the decision to fill in labour shortages was not welcomed unanimously.
Previously, the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) raised concerns that easing labour migration rules for foreigners could lead to lower and worse conditions for unskilled workers.
According to Evelyn Räder, responsible for labour market policy on the Union’s executive board, basic conditions for foreign workers from the Western Balkans require special attention.
“The people who come are largely dependent on their employer. They have a residence permit that is linked to their job. That triggers fears that if they don’t toe the line, they’ll be sent back,” Räder pointed out.
In order to deal with the staff shortages noted in many industries in this country, Germany previously announced that it would offer Job Seeker Visa in order to permit foreigners to stay in Germany for a period of six months and find employment, and then apply for a work permit in order to stay in the country for a longer period.