three-quarters of the small and medium-sized companies in the country's industrial Mittelstand were having difficulties finding enough qualified workers.

... German business organisations have called for easier immigration rules for skilled workers to tackle the shortage.

Spain's curse of emigration is Germany's gain

These men, labourers and agricultural workers, were part of the great migration from Spain. Now, in 2011, it would appear the exercise is about to be repeated -- except this time professional young Spaniards would be making the trip instead of sons of the soil.

The trend is revealed in Der Spiegel. The aim is to partially solve the German deficiency in young talent, especially those affected by the Spanish economic crash. According to the German magazine, the subject will be high on the agenda of the German-Spanish summit to be held in Madrid on February 3 and to be attended by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Spanish Premier José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero. The discussion will form a bilateral labour agreement between the two countries. It is not only Spain that will benefit, but other nations in the south and the east of Europe which are suffering from the double whammy of a debt crisis and unemployment.

It is understood that young qualified Spaniards and Portuguese are the preferred candidates in Germany because of the ease of movement between the neighbours.