02 October 2018•Update: 02 October 2018
By Ayhan Simsek
BERLIN
Germany’s conservative-left coalition government agreed on Tuesday on the main elements of new legislation to attract high-skilled immigrants.
Interior Minister Horst Seehofer told a news conference in Berlin that coalition partners had agreed on the key points of the legislation, which would be further discussed among relevant ministries this month.
‘This legislation would set clear rules. On one hand, it would satisfy the needs of the German businesses for employing skilled workers from the third countries. On the other hand, it would also enable a controlled, orderly immigration.” he said.
“I believe that this legislation would also significantly reduce illegal immigration,” he added.
According to the draft agreed upon by coalition partners, the "Skilled Workers Immigration Law” would make it easier for German companies to employ highly skilled professionals or technicians from countries outside the European Union.
The government would put an end to the current restrictive practice of allowing German companies to directly recruit foreign workers only in specific sectors.
With the new legislation, highly qualified foreigners with German-language skills would be given a chance to travel to Germany and stay for up to six months, while looking for a job here.
The new rules would be in practice for a limited period of five years, according to the draft legislation.
