Home / Series / DW Documentaries / Aired Order / Season 2026 / Episode 60

The courier driver business

In many German cities, bicycle couriers deliver burgers, pizza, and other food to people's homes. Thousands of these riders come from India, lured by the promise of studying in Germany, and have incurred heavy debts. "We're not animals!” complains Shiwani S. after a hard day at the Berlin labor court. The bicycle courier, who is in late pregnancy, has been waiting for a year and a half for several months' wages to be paid. "Why don't Germans do these jobs at Lieferando, Wolt, or Uber Eats?” agrees Samee U. "Ask yourselves that!” The documentary explores this question and uncovers a system of exploitation that is becoming increasingly widespread in German cities: thousands of young Indians come to the country for worthless degrees at expensive private universities. They are lured here by agencies and heavily in debt, as a result.

English
  • Originally Aired May 1, 2026
  • Runtime 43 minutes
  • Network Deutsche Welle TV
  • Created October 10, 2026 by
    andresflower
  • Modified October 10, 2026 by
    andresflower