FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

Angela Merkel faces a whopping £26billion spending bill to cover the costs of refugee care - with around £3billion needed this year alone. This comes despite Mrs Merkel's insistence that letting in more than a million refugees would serve long-term potential economic benefits to Germany. However, the German government now faces investing £3billion of taxpayers money now - and as much as £26bn over the next 15 years - to cover the bare minimum of refugee care. This is expected to cover the largely unemployed refugee population's costs of housing, food and training.

GETTY A refugee employment fair in Berlin - as Merkel faces a giant investment bill

Despite earlier promises, more than 90 per cent of migrants who arrived in Germany remain unemployed for their first year in the country. This is because 70 per cent of those who flooded into the country had no educational background, with little to no work skills. Germany now faces the expensive challenge of trying to integrate half a million migrants into the national workforce as soon as possible. Stefan Bach, German Institute for Economic Research, told DW: “Too little was done for the refugees in the past to prepare them for now." He urged Mrs Merkel to spend £3billion now, which he predicted would cut the overall 15-year projected spending from £26billion to £17billion. Mr Bach said if the German government invested more in education and training now, then these skilled workers would be able to take care of themselves in the future, without government assistance.

DW Angela Merkel faces a whopping £26bn spending bill to cover the costs of refugee care

DW Stefan Bach, German Institute for Economic Research, urged billions of investment

We need three billion to be invested now so long-terms costs will sink from £26billion to £17billion Stefan Bach, German Institute for Economic Research

He said: "We first have to spend the money, we have to invest, because ultimately it will benefit society. "Once refugees are integrated into the labour market, the taxes and social contributions they pay will rise. "Better training now means higher earning later, so refugees will pay more in taxes later. "We say £3billon need to be invested now, that will save on social services, so costs will sink from £26billon to £17billon."

DW One Afghani refugee said he came to Germany with no education background

DW Kai Hunemorder, Hamburg Chamber of Crafts, said Germany was training the future of Syria