Proposal for a comprehensive directive on safeguarding workers from multiple risk exposures, encompassing the hazards of exposure to various perils, requested by the Commission.

In the past seven years, Germany has witnessed a significant demographic shift, with approximately 6.5 million people immigrating to the country since 2015. This influx, which peaked in 2016 when over a million refugees arrived, predominantly from Syria, has brought about a diverse range of cultural, social, and economic changes.

Of this vast number, around 64-70 percent are currently employed, according to the Federal Statistical Office and the Institute for Employment Research. This equates to roughly 4 to 4.5 million individuals actively working as of the latest data from 2024-2025. The employment rate among these immigrants has been on the rise over time, with an employment rate of 90 percent for those holding social insurance jobs.

However, the employment rate among refugees who came to Germany in 2015 is slightly below the national average of 70 percent, standing at 64 percent, as reported by the Institute for Employment Research. The authors of the IAB report state that this employment rate is "anything but self-evident."

It's important to note that employment data exclusively for refugees is not readily available, as reported by the Integration Media Service. Nevertheless, the employment rate among Ukrainian refugees, as per the report by the Federal Institute for Population Research, was 30 percent in October 2024. This figure is expected to increase over time, as has been the trend among the broader immigrant population.

The reasons for immigration are varied. While about a third (31 percent) of the 6.5 million people who immigrated to Germany since 2015 stated that the reason for their immigration was flight, asylum, or international protection, many others came for work, employment, study, or training.

In addition to these migrants, a significant number came in the context of family reunification or family foundation, accounting for 27 percent of the total. Interestingly, a third of the visas issued as part of family reunification in 2024 went to minors.

The journey to employment for many of these immigrants is not without challenges. Stressors such as traumatic experiences from war, displacement, and flight, lack of preparation for migration, insufficient knowledge of the target country's language, low or non-transferable educational qualifications, lengthy asylum procedures, employment bans in the initial arrival phase, residence requirements, discrimination, and living in refugee accommodations for extended periods contribute to the challenges refugees face when starting work.

Despite these challenges, Germany continues to be a welcoming and diverse nation, with Chancellor Angela Merkel famously declaring ten years ago, "We can do this!" The employment trends among immigrants suggest that, with time, integration and employment rates are improving, offering hope for a prosperous and inclusive future for all in Germany.

Proposal for a comprehensive directive on safeguarding workers from multiple risk exposures, encompassing the hazards of exposure to various perils, requested by the Commission.