Manage HR Magazine | Friday, June 09, 2023
The German Cabinet has approved regulatory measures in the immigration laws, to increase the participation of skilled labourers from various nations, contributing to economic success.
FREMONT, CA: The German cabinet has approved a new legislative proposal to reform immigration rules in the country, intending to attract skilled labourers from overseas. In recent times, European countries have been facing an increased shortage of skilled workers, and Germany is at the forefront of this issue. Job vacancies in Germany have surpassed approximately 1.98 million in the last quarter, resulting in high levels of layoffs and labour shortages. This has compelled Berlin to reassess its existing immigration policies and develop critical plans to fill the gaps with qualified workers from outside the European Union (EU).
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The overhaul of these immigration rules aims to encourage the German government to allow a larger population of workers from third-country nationals. As a result, the new law is expected to increase skilled labour migration from non-EU countries to approximately 60,000 annually, effectively doubling the figures from before the pandemic. After receiving cabinet approval, the Finance Minister of Germany commented on the policy regulations, stating that the nation is laying the groundwork for a new start in its migration policy. Following its approval in the cabinet, the draft legislation will be sent to both houses of parliament for final approval.
This new bill is a crucial part of a comprehensive package of reforms aimed at modernizing Germany's immigration, residency, and citizenship laws. The current skilled labour immigration rules in the country were established in March 2020 under the Skilled Immigration Act. The proposed reform seeks to provide potential pathways for foreign workers, such as those with a professional qualification or university degree in Germany, as well as an employment contract and at least two years of work experience in a relevant sector.
Additionally, the reform includes provisions for individuals who possess a degree or vocational training and may not have job offers but have the potential to find work in Germany. The process follows a point-based system that takes into account the applicant's qualifications, German language skills, professional experience, ties to Germany, and age. Under this agenda, qualified job seekers with degrees and vocational certificates are allowed to stay in the country for one year while searching for employment. Some are also permitted to work up to 20 hours per week while actively seeking full-time employment.
Furthermore, the reform introduces significant changes to the EU Blue Card, making it more accessible to specialists with a university degree. It now includes the issuance of EU Blue Cards to workers, including IT specialists, who have relevant job experience, regardless of whether they possess a university degree.
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