Intercultural opening in public administration: A look at Berlin

Many industries are facing major bottlenecks. The Baby Boomers of the 1950s and ‘60s are now all in the process of leaving the job market. Birth rates are falling. The debate on labour market policy adjustments has been reignited – be it about flexible working time, increasing weekly working hours or raising the retirement age to 70. All the options are back on the table. The demographic processes can no longer be reversed. The consequences of an aging society, however, are something we can alleviate – especially by capitalising on the benefits of migration.

Berlin is committed to an open-door policy

Germany needs skilled labour from abroad – a fact that mainstream society has finally grasped. The new Skilled Labour Immigration Act is already in force. But Germany’s status as an immigration country is not always seen in a positive light. During election campaigns, in particular, migration is often portrayed as a burden on our social systems. This is, however, a myth, because working-age immigrants actually bring stability to our social systems – if we tap into their potential. The example of traditional immigration countries such as Canada and Australia shows that targeted recruitment of qualified immigrants can mitigate demographic trends and foster positive economic developments. Without immigration, Germany cannot close the skills gap, experts say. Between now and 2040, Germany will need around 288,000 additional foreign workers per year (Bertelsmann Stiftung 2024).

There are over 24 million people with a migration background living in Germany today. According to the 2023 microcensus, migrants make up 39.4 percent of Berlin’s population and the city is still growing. Along with Brandenburg, this is a young and booming metropolitan region, which is thriving economically, despite demographic change.

The city can only function if the municipal administration works properly – but the third largest employer in Berlin is facing a wave of retirements. Of its approximately 143,000 employees, 40,000 will be leaving the civil service over the next six years on grounds of their age. This generational change could constitute a unique opportunity to revamp the public administration and make it as modern and diverse as Berlin itself.

When it comes to civil service recruitment, significant but as yet untapped potential can be found, first and foremost, among Berliners with a migration background – whether EU citizens enjoying freedom of movement, refugees from crisis regions or skilled employees from third countries. After all, at 21.7 percent, this group makes up a much smaller share of Berlin’s public service than of its population. This was one of the findings of the first city-wide survey of this type conducted by the Berlin administration.

First survey of all public service employees in the state of Berlin

Depending on the public authority, the share of employees with a migration background lies in the region of 8.9 and 39.0 percent. There is a particularly pronounced discrepancy among managers and public officials, where as little as 15.9 and 15.2 percent, respectively, have a migration background. The proportion of younger respondents and junior staff with a migration background is larger, but they also make up a more significant proportion of the population.

Berlin is an international metropolis and as such needs police officers, teachers and case workers with different language skills and diverse perspectives – this is the only way we can meet the needs of the people who live in our city.

The positive trend with regard to junior staff shows the initial success of the strategy adopted. That said, we also need to attract more new immigrants with the requisite qualifications to jobs in the public sector. Faster recognition of foreign qualifications is of the essence here. Medical professionals, for example, should not have to work as nurses in Germany forever. We need doctors – including in the public health services.

An important step here would be offer clear professional prospects and career paths in order to present the public service as a more attractive employer and to make our authorities as diverse and innovative as the city itself. We have already taken the first step – but there is still much to be done.

What we need here is in fact a whole package of different measures. The relevant Berlin authorities are now being encouraged to develop dedicated funding plans that will help increase the share of employees with a migration background. This includes a more targeted approach to recruitment and a better awareness of the experiences of discrimination faced by employees, as well as respectful treatment of staff in all their diversity. Even minor details such as correct pronunciation and spelling of names is important.

The voluntary, anonymous survey of all public service employees in the state of Berlin is based on the Participation Act (Partizipationsgesetz, PartMigG) adopted in 2021. This law essentially promotes the participation of people with a migration background living in Berlin.