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Citizenship possible after 3 or 5 years under new skilled worker strategy

Citizenship possible after 3 or 5 years under new skilled worker strategy

The federal government is going full steam ahead with its mission to make Germany an attractive immigration destination for skilled workers. As well as offering dual citizenship more readily, ministers also want to enable people to apply for German citizenship more quickly, according to a new strategy paper. 

German citizenship in as little as 3 years under new skilled labour strategy

As it seeks to tackle its growing shortage of skilled workers, Germany is hoping to tempt in foreign talent with the offer of a German passport and dual citizenship, as part of a major overhaul of the country’s immigration policies designed to modernise residence and nationality laws and make procedures faster and easier. 

“Germany must be an immigration country that is also attractive in the international competition for skilled workers,” is the key mission statement of the government’s new skilled labour strategy, which was made available to the German news portal The Pioneer on Wednesday. 

According to the draft paper, the government wants to change the current citizenship laws so that, in future, skilled workers would be able to apply for naturalisation after five years. If they have completed “special integration measures”, naturalisation would even be possible after three years. 

Special integration measures could include things like completing an integration course or getting German language certification

Every second migrant worker ends up leaving Germany

The skilled labour strategy - which is currently being debated by representatives from the government, trade unions and businesses in Berlin - also wants to consider an issue that has up until now often been sidelined. 

According to The Pioneer, the strategy states that the government is concerned by the statistic that half of all migrant workers end up leaving Germany. Ministers write that this is often due to a “perceived lack of opportunities” or experiences of racism and discrimination. The government’s latest discrimination report found that discrimination continues to be widespread in Germany - an issue the country will have to face as it seeks to update its immigration image. 

Abi

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Abi Carter

Managing Editor at IamExpat Media. Abi studied German and History at the University of Manchester and has since lived in Berlin, Hamburg and Utrecht, working since 2017 as a writer,...

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MubeenSeptember2 14:46 | 7 September 2022

I sent in a 140pg long residents application as a Professional Civil Engineer, THE most lacking skilled resource according to engineering reports. The LEA returned with an appointment to apply in 4 months time! A jobseeker visa is only 6 months. The problem is in carrying out these political dreams. Not it's intention. Fix the system then people will stay/come.

IchSprecheDeutsch2 01:30 | 13 September 2022

For someone lazy Germany is very good. State pays for apartment, transport ticket, health insurance, courses, kids(as many as you want), get a wbs and half of your life is sorted. Someone who work hard state takes half tax, then pension,health etc..etc.. and god knows why radio tax,. What you get in return is racism and discrimination. Try finding apartment in the city (looking at you Munich, Berlin) and you will know the real problem. While if you are lazy get an apartment from state. Try getting an appointment in any German office. Keine Termin verfügbar :/. Anmeldung lady doesn't like to see foreigners. Banks like to send you letters which are basically to enables online services, what an irony. The online personal identification requires you to visit their office to activate it. (Remember no appointments are available) Germany is a land of many people who cheat the state paid by hardworking people. Many of them see this and leave. there are always opportunitiea for skilled people. Maybe this 3 year fast track will help some of them to stay a bit longer.

PM10 12:00 | 23 September 2022

Insted of this the government solves the housing crises in the country or would be of great help to the skilled people that the country needs. Wanting skill to come in but not having basic housing system in place that doesn't burn a hole is more important than citizenship