Germany relaxes employment rules to attract immigrant workers

In recent years, many Western countries have struggled with labor shortage, which represents a significant challenge for their economic vitality. Faced with aging populations, declining birth rates and skills gaps in various sectors, countries in North America and Europe are increasingly turning to immigration as a vital solution. Immigration not only increases the workforce, but also contributes to economic growth by filling crucial positions in sectors facing severe shortages.

Germany is one such country that is turning to immigration as a solution to its labor shortage. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the “German Skilled Worker Immigration Act” and how these new labor laws are helping to attract and retain more foreign workers:

German Skilled Worker Immigration Act

In 2023, the German federal government pass a series of new employment and immigration laws, known as the Skilled Worker Immigration Act. The legislation makes it easier for German companies to hire non-EU employees and also eases restrictions on foreign workers residing in the country for extended periods.

Some additional details on the legislation:

• Increased emphasis on previous work experience rather than academic qualifications
• Possibility for foreign workers to bring their families to Germany
• Opportunity for some skilled workers to settle in Germany before getting a job and stay there for up to a year while looking for full-time employment

  The German federal government estimates that the new legislation could attract 60,000 additional foreign workers to the country each year, easing labor shortages in key sectors like healthcare, IT and engineering.

Understanding merit-based immigration systems

The new legislation also includes a merit-based points system to determine the eligibility of individuals seeking to enter the country for work purposes. Points are awarded based on various factors, including a person’s professional qualifications, such as education or certificates, work experience and their connection to the country.

Germany is not the first country to implement a points system for business immigration. from Canada Express Entry Program also selects qualified workers for permanent residency based on a ranking system. Foreigners interested in immigrating to Canada must create an online profile in which they provide information about their skills, work experience, language skills, education and other relevant factors. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) assigns points to these factors and candidates are ranked against each other based on their CRS scores. Draws are conducted regularly from the Express Entry pool and candidates with the highest CRS scores are invited to apply for permanent residence.

Australia General Skilled Migration (GSM) Program There is also a points-based immigration system for foreign workers, designed to select skilled migrants who can contribute to the Australian economy based on their level of education, work experience, proficiency in language and other qualifications.