Mubasher: The German government would decide on a proposal to facilitate the movement of skilled workers from outside the European Union (EU) to fill in jobs in the country, according to news reports.

The German ministries of interior, labour and economy agreed on employing more foreign skilled workers to Germany, Thomson Reuters reported, citing a paper with the proposal, which was sent to the rest of the cabinet, which will be still subject to changes.

Under the proposal, the government will not require companies to prioritise German citizens in filling vacancies over individuals from outside the EU, while graduates and workers will be permitted to come to Germany to look for job vacancies within a certain period of time, if they fulfil qualification and language requirements.

Moreover, they will be allowed to take jobs for which they are overqualified to earn money, but they will not be able to access social welfare benefits during this period.

“We will adjust the federal government’s concept of skilled labour and focus on three areas: domestic, European and international skilled worker potentials,” according to the paper.

Qualification recognition will also be further accelerated and facilitated, the paper said, adding that the government is preparing an advertising campaign in target countries.

The reported proposal came as shortage of young individuals willing to commit to on-the-job training for up to three years and a half became a major concern for managers in Germany, with a 1.2 million jobs remained unfilled, according to the Federal Labour Office.