Germany Adjusts Immigration Laws to Fast-track Citizenship For Nigerians, Others
- The German parliament said it has enacted a bill that will facilitate citizenship for foreign nationals
- It also announced that it has lifted the ban on dual nationality for people from non-EU countries
- The new law followed another recent law that makes it easy to deport foreigners
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Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over 3 years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.
As Berlin looks to immigration to address a severe shortage of skilled workers, the German parliament has enacted a bill to facilitate citizenship for foreign nationals.
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The measure, approved by 382 votes to 234 votes, will allow applicants to seek citizenship after five years of residence in Germany, as opposed to the current eight years.
Financial Times reported that after three years, those who have made a special effort to integrate—by learning German or volunteering, for instance— could apply.
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Additionally, it declared that individuals from non-EU nations can henceforth hold dual nationality.
Nancy Faeser, the interior minister, said,
“We have to make an offer to skilled people from all over the world, just like the US and Canada do. We must show appreciation for the people who come to this country and contribute to keeping our society going.”
The government's integration commissioner, Reem Alabali-Radovan, stated that the bill would grant millions of those not yet fully integrated into society the right to vote.
According to official figures, ten million or more German citizens do not own a German passport, and five million have been residents of the nation for ten years or longer.
“Anyone who is an integral part of our society should be able to vote and be elected,”
Alabali-Radovan said.
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Balancing the equation
The legislation came a day after parliament passed a law making it much easier to deport foreigners.
The combination of the two measures highlights the delicate balancing act that Western governments are forced to perform: on the one hand, attempting to address demographic deficits by attracting more foreign workers; on the other hand, adopting a stricter stance on illegal immigration, which is contributing to the growing popularity of right-wing populist parties like the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
The law on deportation that was passed recently makes it easier to remove individuals who do not have permission to stay in the country. It gives the authorities the power to detain individuals before expulsions for up to 28 days, compared with ten days before.
The law also makes it legal for authorities searching for deportees to enter third people's rooms in migrant hostels, something that was previously prohibited. Additionally, the rule mandates that deportees must no longer be informed in advance of the dates of their repatriations.
Furthermore, it expands the list of offenses that might result in deportation, such as using false documents to enter the nation or engaging in antisemitic activities.
Germany announces 20 in-demand jobs for easy work visa
Legit.ng reported that Germany is actively looking to attract foreign talent from Nigeria and other countries amid significant labour shortage.
According to a report, there are over 1.98 million job vacancies across various sectors, and the government has an intense desire to fill the gap.
The job shortage is attributed to an ageing population, a low birth rate, and an escalating demand for skilled professionals.
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Source: Legit.ng
