Migrants essential to many sectors of German economy, data shows

More than a quarter of all employees in Germany - 27% - have roots abroad, according to official statistics released on Monday.

The Federal Statistical Office cited data from a microcensus in 2025 that indicated workers with an immigrant background are indispensable in many sectors of the German economy, including health care, hospitality and construction.

In many occupations, people with an immigration background are represented at above-average levels, including 56% of cooks, according to the data.

According to the authority's definition, a person has an immigrant background if they or their parents immigrated to Germany after 1950.

Other sectors where a majority of workers had foreign roots were food production (55%), floor laying (54%), scaffolding (51%) and meat processing (51%).

The share of workers with an immigrant background is well above the national average in several occupations where skilled workers are in short supply: professional drivers (41%), hotel service (40%) as well as nursing and elderly care (33%).

The microcensus is a sample survey in which around 1% of the population in Germany is surveyed each year.

Among sectors where there is a shortage of labour, the lowest share of workers with an immigrant background was recorded in 2025 in the emergency services (7%).