Logo of Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Skilled Workers’ Project

Germany is facing an increasing shortage of skilled workers, which will intensify in the coming years. Targeted immigration of skilled workers is therefore essential and can no longer be covered exclusively by neighbouring European countries in the long term.

Skilled Workers for Germany Header.jpg

In this context, the African continent offers a potential of highly motivated and qualified skilled workers that has not yet been sufficiently tapped.

 

Around 4.8 million young people are currently unemployed in South Africa. In the first quarter of 2025, the youth unemployment rate rose to 46.1%.

 

Against this backdrop, the partnership between South Africa and Germany within the framework of this project proves to be particularly suitable.

Skilled Workers for Germany Projects 

The Skilled Workers for Germany initiatives, comprising of the Skills Expert Programme (SEP) and the Skilled Workers for Germany Africa project, are strategic undertakings designed to address Germany’s labour market shortages while simultaneously fostering meaningful employment opportunities for South African professionals.

 

Funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), these initiatives function as pivotal platforms facilitating labour mobility between Germany and South Africa. Through close collaboration with key stakeholders, the projects identify employment opportunities and contribute to narrowing the economic disparities between the two countries.

Key Sectors Supported

We currently collaborate with German companies in the following sectors:

  • Hospitality
  • Artisans
Background- Skilled Expert Programme.jpg

Background: Skilled Expert Programme

In some sectors and regions of Germany, there is a shortage of skilled labour, particularly in the care and hospitality sectors. Numerous companies are dependent on recruiting qualified specialist staff from abroad. Immigration from the European Union alone is no longer sufficient to fill all vacant positions.
Skilled Workers for Germany.jpg

Skilled Workers for Germany

Among young unemployed persons in South Africa, 62.4% are recent school-leavers at the initial stages of labour market entry. This cohort is the target group for the Skilled Workers for Germany Africa project.

Get in touch