BFederal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD) has specified plans to make it easier for foreign skilled workers to immigrate to Germany. He told the “Bild am Sonntag”: “We are introducing an opportunity card with a transparent points system so that people who our country needs can come to us more easily.” Because looking for a job in Germany is often from abroad difficult. He reiterated that the traffic light coalition would present an immigration law in the fall.
Regarding the planned opportunity card, he explained: “Every year, depending on our needs, we set a quota for how many people can come to Germany with the opportunity card to look for a job or training here for a certain period of time. During this time, they must be able to secure their own livelihood.” Anyone who can show a degree recognized by Germany, whether it’s an apprenticeship or a degree, immediately fulfills the conditions for the opportunity card. “But we also want to give people who have other strengths and who we need on the job market a chance to come to Germany,” said the minister.
Three out of four criteria
According to the newspaper, a point system with four criteria is to be introduced. These are the foreign degree, professional experience of at least three years, language skills or a previous stay in Germany and an age of less than 35 years. Anyone who meets three of the four criteria should get the chance card. The exact design of the opportunity map is still being coordinated within the federal government.
“We need more immigration,” Heil told the newspaper. The traffic light will present a “modern immigration law” in the fall.
