New laws for immigrants in Germany
German lawmakers have approved a new law reducing the time required for immigrants to obtain citizenship, along with allowing dual citizenship.
On Friday, the new law received majority support in the lower house of the German Parliament, the Bundestag. The German government believes this law will make the country more attractive to skilled workers, addressing labor shortages. The law was supported by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD), as well as coalition partners the Free Democrats (FDP) and the Green Party. In contrast, the conservative parties Christian Democrats (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) opposed the law, aligning with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Out of a total of 639 votes, 382 were in favor of the law, while 234 were against it. Additionally, 23 lawmakers abstained from voting.
What Changes Are Coming?
The new law states that foreigners will be eligible to apply for German citizenship after living in Germany for five years. Previously, the requirement was eight years. There is also an opportunity to obtain citizenship within three years if immigrants demonstrate “exceptional integration” into German society. Under the new law, immigrants from any country will have the option to hold dual citizenship. Currently, this benefit is only available to citizens of other European Union (EU) member states and Switzerland. Germany is a significant member of the EU.
According to Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, this new laws for immigrants in Germany will help Germany attract skilled workers from around the world. She said, “We must remain competitive in the race to attract skilled workers. This means inviting qualified individuals from around the world, similar to what the United States and Canada do. German citizenship must be an essential part of this. As a result of this law, several hundred thousand people from the Turkish community will be able to become German citizens and voters. Many of them have parents or even earlier generations who came to Germany as “guest workers” during the 1950s to 1970s.
