Germany’s labor market is facing growing pressure. In August 2025, the number of unemployed rose above 3 million for the first time since 2015. Many companies continue to struggle with post-Covid effects, export challenges, and rising prices. Added to this are shifts caused by automation and AI. In Germany these changes are not yet as visible as in the United States, but the direction is clear: routine tasks are increasingly automated, while structural reforms and simplifications in Germany and Europe remain limited. In the short term, unemployment is therefore likely to rise further.
At the same time, Germany still has the highest number of job vacancies in the EU — around 1.05 million open positions. The country also remains Europe’s top migration destination. According to Eurostat, Germany recorded 1.27 million immigrants in 2023: 324,000 from EU countries, 905,000 from non-EU countries, and 42,000 from unspecified origins.
This paradox — rising unemployment but persistent labor shortages — defines today’s German job market. The strongest demand remains in sectors with limited potential for automation, such as healthcare, elderly care, logistics, social services, and other labor-intensive industries. For international candidates, this means that opportunities remain solid, particularly in manual and so-called blue-collar jobs.
Structured immigration tools now play a key role: the Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card), Ausbildung (dual vocational training), and the EU Blue Card. Each offers different pathways for internationals to enter and secure long-term prospects in Germany, even in a market that is undergoing visible transition.
Ausbildung (Dual Vocational Training)
The Ausbildung system is open to internationals across a wide range of traditional trades. Participants earn a monthly salary during the two- to three-year program, usually enough to cover basic living costs. Graduates can stay and work in Germany after completing the program. Steady demand is expected in sectors where automation has limits, such as logistics, healthcare, and social services.
Applicants need basic school education (around nine years) and German language skills at level B1. This pathway is particularly suitable for young candidates after school or university who want a practical, structured entry into Germany’s job market with clear long-term residency prospects.
Chancenkarte (Opportunity Card)
The Chancenkarte is a points-based immigration route for skilled workers from outside the EU. Points are awarded for qualifications, professional experience, language skills, age, and ties to Germany. Meeting the minimum threshold grants a one-year stay to search for a job or training, with limited part-time work allowed.
It targets university graduates and experienced professionals without a pre-arranged contract. “It’s a tool with huge potential that’s still underused internationally,” says Wolfgang Sender, founder of Life-in-Germany.de, a platform consulting on career opportunities in Germany. “Even as the job market changes, there remain many openings for skilled candidates who act strategically.”
EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card addresses highly qualified professionals from non-EU countries who already have a job offer in Germany meeting salary and qualification thresholds. It suits specialists in engineering, IT, healthcare, and other academic professions. Blue Card holders benefit from a fast-track path to permanent residency and mobility within the EU after a certain period.
Make Skills Visible — Even Without a Formal Degree
Regardless of the entry route, employers expect clear documentation of qualifications. “Germany’s system is very structured,” Sender explains. “Employers need transparent proof of education and skills, especially when foreign certificates are involved.”
To help with this, Sender launched TopTest.ai, a platform where candidates can improve application documents by proving their knowledge in over 2,500 subjects through short online exams. Certificates are issued in Germany and can be attached to applications both in Germany and abroad. The platform is available in seven languages, making it accessible to a wide range of international applicants.
“These certificates don’t replace degrees,” says Sender, “but they give employers a reliable picture of a candidate’s abilities. Applicants can select targeted certifications that fit the role they want — which can be decisive in competitive processes.”
Why Proof of Skills Matters in the Age of AI
Such additional certifications are particularly relevant with AI now acting as a central driver of change in the labor market. Through TopTest.ai, applicants can demonstrate not only traditional skills in healthcare, logistics, or social services but also up-to-date knowledge of modern digital tools. For example, they can prove familiarity with large language models (LLMs), current AI applications, and their practical use in a workplace.
This kind of documented expertise can serve as a unique selling point in applications. In a job market shaped by uncertainty and restructuring, showing verified competence in future-oriented skills may make the decisive difference between rejection and success.