Germany’s coalition government has finally agreed on new immigration laws ending several months of fierce negotiations.
The deal “adheres to the principle of separating asylum and labour migration,” and ensures that those who have a legal right to claim asylum under German law will still be able to do so.
As reported by Deutsche Welle (DW), Germany’s international broadcaster, The agreement was signed by the Social Democrat (SPD) Labour Minister Hubertus Heil and Interior Minister Horst Seehofer of the CSU, the Bavarian sister party of Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s Christian Democrats (CDU). Seehofer has been pushing for immigration reform since taking office, going so far as to threaten to resign in June if his demands were not met.
The new laws prioritise education, age, and financial security. According to the Reuters news agency, the rules are also reportedly based the Canadian model under which prospective immigrants would be ranked according to level of education, age, language skills, job offers, and “financial security”.
According to the outline of the proposed law, however, that non-EU citizens without higher education or, preferably, a concrete job offer, will not be able to live in Germany. The paper says: “We do not want any immigration from unqualified third-country nationals”.
“Skilled workers from abroad are already making an important contribution to the competitiveness of the German economy,” the paper states, noting the need for more highly-qualified employees.
