New regulations for immigration of skilled workers

The German government has agreed on new regulations for the immigration of skilled workers. The federal cabinet on Wednesday approved the key points for a new skilled labor immigration law, as was announced after the end of the meeting.

"We will lower the thresholds for immigration," Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) said in Berlin in this regard. Education Minister Bettina Stark-Watzinger (FDP) spoke of an immigration law with a points system.

The bill provides that job seekers "with good potential" from third countries should be allowed to stay in Germany to look for a job. For this purpose, an "opportunity card" is to be introduced, modeled on the Canadian points system.

As a further pillar of the new concept, immigration is to be made possible for those third-country nationals who have acquired at least two years of professional experience and a professional qualification of at least two years that is recognized by the state in their country of origin.

For this group, the requirement that their degree be formally recognized in Germany will be waived in the future for non-regulated professions. Foreign university graduates will continue to receive the Blue Card.