Protection gaps in Germany's skilled labour migration system: Fair recruitment as a means of preventing exploitation

Nadine Knapp and Emma Landmesser

No 30/2026, SWP Comments from Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute for International and Security Affairs

Abstract: In recent years, Germany has gradually reformed the Skilled Immigration Act (FEG) to make the recruitment of workers from third countries easier. Little political attention has been paid to the fact that this also entails an increased risk of exploitative working conditions - particularly since abusive practices often begin as early as the recruitment stage in the country of origin. The Federal Government should therefore complement its efforts to attract international skilled labour with an effective regulatory framework for private recruitment agencies, stronger cross-border cooperation, and a more targeted use of migration-related development cooperation in key countries of origin and transit.

Keywords: skilled labour migration; fair recruitment; Skilled Immigration Act; FEG; appalling working conditions; abusive recruitment; migration corridors; National Action Plan against Labour Exploitation and Forced Labour; NAP A/Z; development cooperation; regulation of private recruitment agencies (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:swpcom:342582

DOI: 10.18449/2026C30

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