B1 – Intermediate
Germany has a shortage of workers because many older people are retiring and fewer children are being born. There are not enough young workers to fill the jobs.
To solve this, Germany wants to bring in workers from other countries, especially India, which has many young people. It needs workers in engineering, healthcare, manufacturing, and IT, including many nurses and caregivers.
Read the article about how Germany wants to fix the labor shortage problem by asking Indians to come work in their country.
https://breakingnewsenglish.com/2603/260326-germany-labour-shortage.html
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “renewable energy” mean? “Germany is also a leader in renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, and financial services.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
- What does “labor surplus” mean? “There’s a huge labour surplus in India.” Use the term in a sentence. Give a synonym.
- What does “area” mean here, “It is struggling to find enough skilled people to work in many areas.”? Use the word in a sentence. Give a synonym.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the pros and cons of hiring Indian workers for Germany?
- What is your opinion on this, “The government has made it easier for people to get visas to work in Germany.”?
- What causes labor shortage?
- What are other solutions to labor shortage in a country?
- Do you have the same problem in your country? Discuss it.