The FDP party has called for integration processes in Germany to be improved by making English a second language at governmental offices and organisations and removing some of the hurdles to recognising foreign qualifications. 

Make English a second language at German public offices, FDP says

Anyone who’s ever wondered why they only really speak German at the immigration office will be glad to hear that the FDP - one of the parties in Germany’s ruling traffic light coalition - has floated the idea of introducing English as an “additional administrative language” for authorities and public offices. 

According to a 10-point paper on immigration policy, put together by Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger and FDP Vice-President Johannes Voge and seen by Handelsblatt, such a change would make interactions between authorities and migrants easier. “Language is the key to successful integration,” the paper states. 

The paper is set to be adopted by FDP party leadership this week and presented to the coalition partners as a blueprint for how immigration law in Germany can be reshaped, to help combat the critical shortage of skilled workers that the country is currently facing. 

Change would make recognition of foreign qualifications easier

Among other measures, the FDP calls for skilled workers and their families to be given extra language support - for instance through free German courses - and for the recognition of foreign educational and professional qualifications to be hugely simplified, as a “special priority.” 

The FDP is also calling for Blue Cards to be extended to non-academic professions. These special kinds of residence permits are given out to skilled workers from outside the EU who work in certain professions or earn a certain salary, but so far the Blue Card has mainly been aimed at graduates from university. 

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