Status: 11/29/2022 10:28 am
The Ministry of the Interior’s plans to speed up naturalizations have received support from business. That strengthens integration. The opposition and the FDP, on the other hand, renew their rejection.
German citizen after five years instead of eight years in Germany. The traffic light had agreed on this in the coalition agreement. Now the plans are to be implemented – the economy welcomes the step.
The chairwoman of the Economic Wise Men, Monika Schnitzer, supported the reform of citizenship law planned by the federal government. Easier naturalization strengthens the integration of foreigners living and working in Germany, said the chairwoman of the council of experts for the assessment of overall economic development to the newspapers of the Funke media group. “In view of the demographic change and the increasing shortage of skilled workers and workers, this is definitely to be welcomed.”
The Federal Association of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses is also encouraging: the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles in the naturalization of software engineers and nursing staff could prove to be an important locational advantage for Germany in the long term, said Federal Managing Director Markus Jerger of the editorial network Germany.
Nahles emphasizes importance for the labor market
The head of the Federal Employment Agency, Andrea Nahles, also emphasized the importance of immigration for the labor market as a whole. “Because of demographic change, there is no scenario where we can get by without major immigration,” she told the Süddeutsche Zeitung. Germany is an immigration country. The Federal Republic needs a balance of 400,000 additional workers and skilled workers a year, added the former SPD leader.
Foreign workers still have to overcome a comparatively large number of hurdles in this country. This starts with bottlenecks in issuing visas and goes through understaffed immigration offices and the recognition of degrees to language barriers. “Therefore, politicians have to do it again and up the ante,” she demanded.
“No ‘Black Friday’ special offer”
There is continued resistance from the opposition and from the ranks of the FDP. “The traffic light is making a serious mistake if it softens the criteria for obtaining citizenship,” CDU General Secretary Mario Czaja told the Funke newspapers. “Citizenship is not an item that’s on sale on Black Friday.”
For the CDU it is clear that citizenship is the most important link between the citizens and our country, Czaja explained. It must therefore apply: “First the integration, then the passport.” The granting of citizenship can only be the result of a successful integration process.
“Wrong timing for reform”
The chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Christian Dürr, criticized the Deutschlandfunkthat the timing for reform is wrong. At the same time, immigration law must also be changed. “Germany is a very cosmopolitan country, very tolerant, and we desperately need workers,” said Dürr. That is why there is also a need to modernize nationality law. At the same time, however, those who no longer have a residence permit would have to leave the country again, emphasized the FDP politician.
What is needed is quick and unbureaucratic recognition of professional qualifications, said Dürr. Anyone who works hard and is well integrated should have the opportunity to become a German. “People who fail here, for example because they don’t comply with the law,” on the other hand, could not stay in Germany.
Ministry of the Interior wants to lower legal hurdles
The federal government wants to lower the legal hurdles for naturalization. According to a draft by the Ministry of the Interior, it should be possible to obtain citizenship after just five years in Germany.
In the case of “special integration achievements”, this should be possible after three years – for example if immigrants have shown special academic or professional achievements or voluntary commitment or if they have particularly good language skills.
The plans should also be a topic in the Bundestag this week. The Union faction requested a current hour.