The number of arrivals crossing the Mediterranean to seek asylum in Europe is expected to rise to 400,000 this year and 450,000 in 2016, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR).
The number of arrivals crossing the Mediterranean to seek asylum in Europe is expected to rise to 400,000 this year and 450,000 in 2016, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), adding that 360,000 people have already made the journey this year. In the end, nearly one million refugees could reach Europe by the end of 2016.
In response to this massive influx, European governments’ initiatives are multiplying. Yesterday, François Hollande committed to accepting 24,000 refugees on French soil over two years. The British Prime Minister expressed willingness to welcome 20,000.
Angela Merkel advocated for the European Union to implement a common management of asylum applications and wished for an agreement on binding distribution quotas among member countries.
Germany has welcomed more than 20,000 refugees since the weekend and expects to register at least 800,000 first-time asylum applications this year.
Why all this goodwill? The country gains a generous image, but the benefit goes well beyond that.
Unlike other European nations, some figures explain it..
Germany is indeed facing a dramatic labor shortage. This year alone, 140,000 engineers, technicians, and programmers are needed, and it will worsen over the years.
Estimates mention a shortage of 1.8 million people across all sectors by 2020, and by 2040, 3.9 million people if nothing is done to stem the population’s aging.
Moreover, the German statistics bureau (Destatis) has released a study showing that, despite immigration, the German demographic decline is inevitable.
According to Destatis, by 2060, the German population is expected to decrease from 81 million to 68 million in the scenario with less immigration and to 73 million in the case of maximum migratory influx.
So, it’s crucial to take proactive steps in a timely manner!
