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Interim report: Labor market for Syrian nationals
- Isabelle Manoli
- 2 hours ago
- 4 min read
News on the situation of Syrian nationals on the German labor market . A study shows that the shortage of skilled workers in Germany is no longer an abstract warning, but a reality threatening the country's economic backbone. While the political debate is often dominated by buzzwords like remigration or border closures, a quiet transformation is taking place in offices, hospitals, and construction sites across the country. Thousands of highly qualified people of Syrian origin have long since become part of our system, yet they still encounter bureaucratic hurdles that are not only individually frustrating but also economically negligent. In our daily practice as a law firm, we see that the path to full employment often fails not due to a lack of will, but because of a thicket of lengthy recognition procedures and rigid residency laws. It is time to shift the focus away from simply managing needs and toward a genuine culture of empowerment for well-trained immigrants.
Statistical progress and the reality of residency rights
A look at the current figures reveals a clear upward trend that often goes unnoticed by the public. In September 2025, around 320,000 Syrian nationals were employed in Germany. The long-term forecast is particularly impressive: after seven years of residence, the employment rate is already at 60 percent. This underscores that integration is not a sprint, but a marathon that requires legal certainty. From our perspective as lawyers, Sections 18a and 18b of the German Residence Act (AufenthG) are of central importance here, as these sections form the basis for the employment of skilled workers with vocational training or academic degrees. Those who have lived and worked here for years should no longer remain in limbo, but need a clear path to a permanent residence permit under Section 18c of the Residence Act to create planning security for themselves and their employers. While the current policy of the Federal Government under Chancellor Merz focuses more on order, it must not hinder the integration of those who already make valuable contributions by imposing excessive hurdles on changing the purpose of their residence permit.
Shortage occupations and the academic reserve
Syrian workers are now a vital part of the workforce in so-called shortage occupations. Around 80,000 of them work in sectors desperately seeking personnel – from healthcare and construction to logistics. It is particularly noteworthy that over 100,000 Syrians in Germany hold academic degrees. It is a waste of human capital when highly qualified engineers or doctors are stuck in unskilled jobs due to delays in document verification or a lack of recognition certificates . We strongly criticize the fact that the digitalization of migration administration has still not reached the level appropriate for a modern immigration country. The delay in issuing a visa for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications often means the loss of a talented employee for German small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
The gender gap: Untapped treasures among Syrian women
A critical issue in the current statistics is the labor force participation rate of Syrian women , which stands at only 19 percent, compared to 53 percent for men. This is not an inevitable consequence, however, but often the result of a lack of supporting measures and legal obstacles to family reunification or work permits for spouses. Promoting women's employment must necessarily go hand in hand with simplifying access to the labor market for job seekers, as stipulated in Section 20 of the German Residence Act . It is not enough to simply lament the shortage of skilled workers ; we must also create the structures that enable well-educated Syrian women to offer their social and cultural services – for example, in the education or healthcare sectors – with legal certainty. A restrictive interpretation of discretionary powers within immigration authorities is counterproductive and fails to recognize social realities.
Conclusion: Integration needs legal certainty, not rhetoric.
The data from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) and the Federal Employment Agency clearly demonstrate that the Syrian community has arrived in the German labor market and is becoming more successful with each year of residence. However, the high unemployment rate of over 34 percent among Syrian nationals, many of whom are still participating in training programs, also shows that the system is too slow. We demand a consistent acceleration of procedures and a more generous application of Sections 16d and 19c of the Residence Act to ensure a seamless transition from training to skilled employment. Only when we stop viewing well-integrated people as a bureaucratic burden and instead recognize them as the experts of tomorrow will Germany be able to compete in the global race for talent.
How Visaguard supports you
As a specialized law firm for visa law, we guide you through the maze of regulations. Whether it's about the recognition of foreign qualifications , applying for an EU Blue Card , or changing from a humanitarian residence permit to one for the purpose of employment – we represent your interests before immigration authorities and embassies worldwide. We ensure that your potential doesn't fail due to a technicality, but rather leads to a lasting career opportunity in Germany.
