India, Germany to ink pact on labour mobility, skill recognition next week

To facilitate the movement of workers between India and Germany and recognise skills, the two countries are set to ink a pact next week.

Through the agreement, skilled professionals here can be easily absorbed by German industry, sources familiar with the development said. 

This will be the first agreement under the G20 “Skills-based migration pathways” framework, which was agreed upon by the member countries last year in New Delhi.

Under this framework, the top 20 economies of the world have recognised that integrated skill-based migration pathways help expand job opportunities for skilled professionals across the globe and lead to formalising the workforce and benefit both countries of origin and destination.

“While India enjoys a demographic dividend and a future-ready skilled workforce, European countries, especially Germany, are grappling with a falling working-age population and a relatively untrained workforce in new and emerging technologies. This agreement will help the two countries in labour mobility and to recognise and certify each other’s skills and will also help the Indian workforce to move to non-traditional sectors of employment like teaching and nursing,” the source said. 

The move coincides with the upcoming visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and other high-ranking officials to India next week. It will also open an avenue for skilled Indian professionals to migrate as the diplomatic row between India and Canada has reached a new low and the United States sees a rise in anti-migrant rhetoric.

“The agreement will focus on introducing a digital visa by the end of 2024 for those eligible and Germany will also be staging job fairs in Indian educational institutions for smooth migration and absorption. Courses will also be organised to bridge the language barrier. There will be collaboration on occupational safety and health and social security as well,” the source said.  

In June, officials of India’s labour ministry and its German equivalent met in New Delhi to discuss issues regarding collaboration in health and occupational safety, transformation of the world of work, global capability centres, and future of work.

“According to estimates, Indian skilled workers in Germany have seen growth in number in recent years, with close to 137,000 in occupations of skill. This number is slated to grow,” the source said.

Win-win deal
 

Pact, set to be signed next week, will be the first agreement under the G20 ‘Skills-based migration pathways’ framework accepted at New Delhi meet
 

Germany is grappling with a falling working age population and a relatively untrained workforce in new and emerging technologies
 

Pact will help the Indian workforce to move into non-traditional sectors like teaching, nursing and manufacturing