The German government has decided to ease the conditions for immigration of qualified specialists, The Financial Times Deutschland reported, citing sources in the cabinet. This information was later confirmed by CDU/CSU domestic policy experts Reinhard Grindel and FDP Hartfrid Wolff at a press conference in Berlin on March 28, writes Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

The authorities will reduce the salary level required to obtain a long-term residence permit from 66 to 44.8 thousand euros per year. For some professions, a salary of 34.2 thousand euros will be enough. These conditions will apply to engineers, programmers and doctors, since these specialties are in greatest demand in Germany. After three years of work in Germany, labor immigrants will receive the right to an unlimited residence permit.

In addition, the government intends to introduce a special type of visa for employment. With this visa, foreign citizens will be able to stay in Germany for six months to look for work. In order to receive it, it will be enough to present a diploma of education and prove the availability of money to live in Germany.

Particular preference when issuing a residence permit will be given to those who speak German. In addition, foreign citizens who have graduated from German universities will have the opportunity to stay in Germany for one and a half years to look for work.

In this way, the German government is trying to fill the shortage of qualified specialists. Despite freedom of movement within the European Union, very few applications for work in Germany are received from Europeans, so the authorities are counting on an influx of immigrants from countries outside the EU. The new law must be approved by the Bundestag and the Bundesrat and, according to preliminary plans, will come into force by the summer.

German authorities will ease immigration conditions