The latest annual report from Germany’s Expert Council on Integration and Migration (SVR) highlights a problem many international residents will recognise first-hand: finding a place to live can be one of the hardest parts of settling in.
According to the report, housing shortages are no longer just a social issue – they’re actively undermining Germany’s ability to attract and retain the skilled workers it needs.
As a result, international professionals are increasingly seeing help from employers with housing as essential – and some companies are beginning to respond.
Housing as a deciding factor for skilled immigrants
One of the clearest messages from the report is that housing has become a key “competitive factor” for Germany. Even well-paid skilled workers are affected.
The report stresses that tight housing markets are making it difficult not only to recruit international talent, but also to keep those already in Germany.
In addition, surveys cited by the authors show that help with finding accommodation is now among the most frequently mentioned needs for people considering a move to Germany – and even the top priority for those already living here.
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Few companies are responding directly
Despite the scale of the housing crisis, the report makes clear that only a minority of German employers are actively addressing this as part of their skilled worker strategies.
In fact, just 17 percent of companies reportedly offer any form of support in finding accommodation, and only five percent provide housing directly.
Where companies do step in, their efforts tend to fall into a few clear categories – ranging from light-touch support to more hands-on solutions.
The most common approach is practical help. Many employers assist new hires with the basics, such as navigating rental contracts, registering utilities or using relocation services.
Siemens, for example, provides this kind of structured support to help employees settle in more quickly.
Some firms go a step further by offering financial assistance, including rent subsidies or support for buying a home – although this is less common.
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A smaller group of employers provide direct access to housing. This can include renting out company-owned flats or offering temporary accommodation when workers first arrive.
For example, Roche has developed boarding houses at its Penzberg site, allowing new employees and their families to stay there while they search for permanent housing.
In some cases, companies are also reviving older models of corporate housing. Hamburg’s public transport operator is currently converting a former tram depot into around 400 apartments for staff, while Berlin’s Charité hospital has built a residential building with nearly 80 units specifically for nursing staff recruited from abroad.
Another growing approach involves partnerships with landlords and housing organisations. Deutsche Bahn, for example, rents apartments and sublets them to employees, while other companies collaborate with municipal providers to give staff better access to housing.
There are also early signs of more collaborative solutions. One pilot project in Berlin-Spandau cited by the report’s authors – called “Havelschanze” – brings multiple firms together to build up to 120 apartments, alongside shared community facilities such as childcare.
Scaling up remains difficult
The barriers facing companies when it comes to providing housing directly are substantial, however.
Construction projects face long timelines, high costs and limited availability of land. Even when companies own suitable land, regulatory hurdles – such as rezoning commercial space for residential use – can delay or block development.
For small and medium-sized businesses, the challenges are even greater. Without the financial resources or organisational capacity of large corporations, most are limited to offering indirect support such as advice or relocation services.
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What the Council recommends
The report suggests that both government and employers need to do more.
Key recommendations include:
- Expanding housing supply, especially affordable and well-connected homes
- Greater employer involvement, particularly in supporting workers’ housing needs
- More cooperation, for example between companies and housing developers
- Scaling up cooperative housing projects, where multiple firms jointly build or fund housing
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