Egypt and Germany are strengthening cooperation on vocational training and skilled labour mobility to address labour shortages in Germany and meet the growing demand from Egyptian professionals to access European job markets.
The initiatives were highlighted during the 2026 Labour Mobility Forum, named Terminal Europe, which opened on October 27 with attendance from German Ambassador to Egypt Jürgen Schulz. The event featured the signing of two cooperation agreements aimed at advancing professional training and workforce development.
The first agreement is a memorandum of understanding between Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates and Germany’s Federal Employment Agency. It focuses on the organised mobility of skilled workers, professional expertise exchange, and vocational training support.
The second deal is a letter of intent signed between the Egyptian ministry and Siemens Healthineers to upgrade the skills of radiology technicians and raise the quality of professional training in healthcare.
Christian Grün, Head of the Development and Cooperation Department at the German Embassy in Cairo, stated that Egypt ranks sixth globally for professional qualification recognition applications in Germany. Applications for recognizing Egyptian qualifications grew by nearly 90 percent in 2025, driven by structural shortages in sectors such as hospitality and crafts.
Grün also emphasized the concept of circular migration, noting that returning workers can transfer acquired expertise back to Egypt's domestic economy, while the country benefits from foreign remittances.
In July, both nations signed a joint declaration of intent to develop technical schools, modernize workshops, and align programs with international accreditation standards. Over 1,500 German companies currently operate in Egypt with roughly two billion euros in investments, actively supporting local technical education and vocational programs.
