BERLIN – Germany is poised to pass a new law this week that will simplify the immigration process for skilled workers, particularly those from outside the European Union.
In this regard, lawmakers from the ruling coalition parties reached an agreement on Monday, paving the way for these long-awaited reforms. The Social Democratic Party’s Katja Mast, who governs alongside the Free Democrats and Greens, highlighted that these changes will modernize Germany’s immigration policies and confirmed that the legislation would be passed this week.
The primary goal of the new legislation is to address the country’s labor shortage which is widening, raising eyebrows among the policymakers. The German labor ministry reported that job vacancies in 2022 reached a record high of nearly 2 million.
According to the draft legislation released by the government in March, the reforms could potentially increase the annual number of workers from non-EU countries by 60,000 on an annual basis.
The new law will come as a respite for skilled workers across the world as it offers three pathways to enter Germany, including the introduction of an “opportunity card” or ‘Chancenkarte’ for individuals without a job offer but with the potential to secure employment.
The opportunity card will operate on a points-based system, taking into account factors such as qualifications, language skills, professional experience, connection to Germany, and age. These measures aim to attract skilled workers to fill key positions and contribute to Germany’s thriving economy.
Three Pathways
The first path requires a professional or university degree recognised in Germany, and an employment contract while the second requires a minimum of two years of experience working in a relevant sector, and a degree or vocational training. Interestingly IT specialists with relevant job experience will receive EU Blue Cards even if they do not hold university degree.
The new “opportunity card” stands out as it is for individuals who do not have a job offer but have the potential to find work soon. As per the draft plan, the opportunity card follows a points-based system that gauges one on the basis of qualifications, German language skills, career experience, connections to Germany (relatives already living in the country), and age.
New rules are aimed at making it easier for workers to bring their families to the country besides attaining permanent residency status.
