Federal Employment Agency: In Germany, 113,600 workers from Kosovo are legally employed, while 32 individuals have sought asylum since the beginning of the year

In Germany, based on data from last year, 113,600 workers from Kosovo are legally registered, and since January 1st and the visa liberalization, 36 individuals have applied for asylum in this country, according to official data from the Federal Employment Agency and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees of Germany.

In written responses to Kosovo Online, these two German federal institutions state that there is still no official data on whether the number of workers and citizens from Kosovo has increased in this country after the visa liberalization on January 1st.

Based on relevant data, 113,600 citizens from Kosovo are employed in Germany with legal documents.

"In June 2023, there were 113,600 people from Kosovo who were employed based on contributions for social security. The extent to which this number will change from 2024 cannot be statistically determined until July or December 2024," Irmgard Pirkl, spokesperson for the Federal Employment Agency said.

He explained that more precise data would only be available in the middle of this year when regular, six-month statistical reviews were completed.

"Employment statistics in Germany are compiled every six months. Therefore, information up to January 31st will be available by July 31st of this year. Another problem is that we do not have information about when someone entered our country, so we cannot say whether the number of citizens from Kosovo increased before or after the introduction of visa liberalization," Irmgard Pirkl emphasized.

When asked what citizens of Kosovo needed to know if they decided to work in Germany, Pirkl mentioned that there was a specialized portal that provided answers to all questions.

"If people from Kosovo are interested in working in Germany, we recommend the 'Make it in Germany' portal. There, they will find all the information about employment opportunities, recognition of qualifications, and much more," the spokesperson for the Federal Employment Agency of Germany specifies.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, explains that in the first month of this year, 32 individuals with Kosovar citizenship applied for asylum in Germany.

"In January 2024, 32 individuals with Kosovar citizenship submitted their initial asylum application in Germany. In 2023, there were 363 initial asylum applications," the spokesperson for this office, Lena Tres states.

According to her, the federal office conducts the asylum procedure and decides whether to grant refugee status under the asylum law or reject the asylum application.

"The asylum application, personal interview, and decision on the asylum application are made by the Federal Office," Tres adds.