Germany to deploy temporary foreign workers to fill staff shortage at airports

Germany will allow the entry of foreign workers to fill staff shortages at the German airports as a temporary solution, Bild am Sonntag reported on Sunday, citing the interior, transport, and labor ministers.

Airport operators across Europe, including Germany, have been struggling with staff shortages to handle the flow of passengers as demand for travel bounces back with the end of most COVID-19 restrictions.

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Photos of travelers waiting in long lines at security check points at Duesseldorf airport earlier this week showed the scale of the shortage which has caused chaos during the holiday season.

The Interior, Labor and Transport ministries will start a joint campaign for brining temporary foreign employees to work at German airports, Bild said, adding that there was a shortage around 2,000 to 3,000 employees at the airports.

The campaign aims to bring a four-digit number of skilled workers from Turkey to Germany, who could be deployed for a few months from July.

Labor Minister Hubertus Heil said employers must pay collective wages and provide decent accommodation for a limited time.

“We want to rule out any form of social dumping and exploitation,” Heil was quoted as saying by Bild.

Read more: Transport department denies UK mulling visas for EU workers to ease woes at airports