German Workers, Thank Refugees When Your Paychecks Are Growing

The arrival of more than a million refugees in Germany in recent years nearly tore apart the government. It’s also a reason why the country’s workers could soon be taking home more pay.

Even if the influx of mostly young workers is likely to be a drag on gross wage growth as competition in the labor market increases, net pay might still rise, according to Oxford Economics’ Daniel Harenberg. His research shows that more overall contributions to Germany’s social insurance system gives the government room to keep individual burdens lower.