The Federal Ministry of the Interior has sent a draft for the introduction of a so-called right of residence to the federal states and associations for approval.
In addition to the one-year right of residence for tolerated persons, the draft also provides for an extension of detention pending deportation for certain criminals from three months to a maximum of six months. “We want to get the first migration package off the ground before the summer break,” said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) on Tuesday in Berlin.
The right of residence is intended for “those who have been living in Germany for five years or more and are well integrated, but only have a Duldung – we want to give them a chance to obtain a permanent residence permit here,” said the minister further out.
The draft contains simplifications for family reunification for foreigners who come to Germany as skilled workers. In addition, more people should have access to integration and professional language courses.
“Germany is a country of immigration and as such must become much more attractive,” said the parliamentary director of the FDP parliamentary group, Stephan Thomae. Therefore, the requirements for immigration with an employment contract would have to be simplified in the next migration package and a new way for immigration to look for a job would have to be created with the introduction of an “opportunity card based on a points system”.
“With this draft law, the traffic light is making a fresh start in migration and integration policy,” said the SPD parliamentary group’s domestic policy spokesman, Sebastian Hartmann. He announced: “We are still looking at the draft in detail in the parliamentary procedure so that the practice here actually receives clear and uncomplicated regulations and the people affected finally have a perspective for a safe life in Germany.”
