Ukrainian refugees who are qualified specialists are likely to have good work opportunities in the German labor market, a survey conducted by the Munich-based think tank, IFO Institute for Economic Research, has found.

The study, conducted in cooperation with German personal service provider Randstad, surveyed around 1,000 personnel departments in May.

According to the survey, 40% of HR managers in Germany believe that skilled workers from Ukraine can find jobs in German companies.

"Companies also see this as a chance to mitigate the shortage of skilled workers," IFO specialist Julia Freuding said in the research institute's press release published on Tuesday, 18 July. 

Manufacturing companies in particular see a window of opportunity to hire qualified workers, she added.

German companies say lack of language skills problematic

It is likely to be "more difficult," however, to integrate unskilled workers and trainees into the German workforce, the survey found.

Only 30% of survey respondents said they see "potential" in unskilled workers while only 27% see potential in trainees.

The study also found that 56% of the companies surveyed anticipate hiring obstacles.

"A lack of German language skills is most often seen as problematic, especially in the trade sector," Freuding said. 

A staggering 86% of the trade companies surveyed cited language inability as a hurdle, while 79% of manufacturing companies and service providers share this view.

German companies also found a lack of qualifications to be problematic (5% of responses) as well as bureaucratic hurdles (6%).

Ukrainian refugees register to find work

According to figures from the United Nations, there are over 867,000 Ukrainians currently in Germany.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine on February 24 until May 11, 727,205 people registered in Germany's Central Register of Foreigners (AZR), of which 93% hold Ukrainian citizenship, Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper reported on May 14, citing Interior Ministry data. Many have traveled on to other European Union countries or since returned to Ukraine, the newspaper said.

In June, Germany's Labor Office reported rising unemployment figures, largely due to Ukrainian refugees registering with the office in search of work.

Around 360,000 Ukrainians have registered at Germany's welfare system so far, of which 260,000 are employable job seekers, Germany's Labor Minister Hubertus Heil said last week.

Germany set aside an additional €2.4 billion ($2.40 billion) this year to cover the financial expenses of supporting the country's Ukrainian refugees.