According to DW, Germany has launched a major reform of immigration law. The main changes are aimed at simplifying the legalization of foreigners, including those from third world countries.

Essentials of the law «Chances for a Permanent Residence»

At the beginning of December 2022, the German Bundestag passed the Chancen-Aufenthalt law, which is essentially called «Chance for Permanent Residence». With this law begins a major immigration reform, which implies significant liberalization in three areas:

  • Requirements for residents of so-called «third countries» that is, non-EU or equivalent states, will be reduced in terms of coming to Germany for work; 
  • Those foreigners who have been living in Germany for a long time will be able to obtain German citizenship; 
  • Refugees who have already been rejected for political asylum but have not yet been deported will be able to legalize in Germany and obtain a permanent residence permit with the prospect of German citizenship later on.

What Germany will do about staff shortages

The changes in immigration rules are related, among other things, to the shortage of personnel that Germany has encountered. It concerns not only highly qualified specialists, but also workers with secondary education: waiters, mechanics, drivers, etc. It is said that the German labor market needs about 400 thousand foreign workers. And not all at once, but every year. To level out this problem, the government has developed a plan to attract «new guest workers» to the country. In this plan, the requirements for foreigners from «third countries» will be much lower than the current requirements.

Under certain prerequisites (there are plans to introduce a points system) foreigners will be able to come to Germany without an existing employment contract, and look for work on the spot. Given the current labor shortage, this would clearly not be a problem.

However, this plan requires serious refinement until it becomes a bill.

Changes for refugees with deportation deferral

There are currently about 250,000 refugees living in Germany who receive a temporary reprieve from deportation (Duldung). This means that they were once refused asylum, but were not deported from the country. This deferment is granted to those who have young children, or children who have already started school in Germany, or there is a real risk of reprisals against them in their home country, or those who have no documents.

According to the new law, refugees who have had a Duldung for 5 years as of October 1, 2022, get a probationary period of 1.5 years. During this time they will have to pass a German language test and find a job. If these conditions are met — the refugee can get an indefinite residence permit, if not — again the status of deferred deportation.

These innovations do not apply to those who have had problems with the law, or to those who conceal their personal data.