German Parliament Approves Immigration Law to Attract Skilled Workers

The German parliament has recently approved a new immigration law aimed at addressing the country’s severe labor shortage, which is having a negative impact on the economy.

The law, supported by the governing centre-left SPD, the liberal FDP, and the Greens, received 388 yes votes, while 234 lawmakers voted against it and 31 abstained.

The opposition CDU and its Bavarian CSU sister party, forming a conservative parliamentary bloc, voted against the law, expressing concerns that it would facilitate the entry of unskilled laborers. The far-right AfD party also voted against it.

The law incorporates a points-based system that reduces entry barriers for applicants based on their professional qualifications, age, and language skills.

Earlier this year, the Association of German Chambers of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) reported that over half of German companies were struggling to fill job vacancies due to a shortage of skilled workers. The DIHK survey, which covered 22,000 companies, revealed that the proportion of companies facing difficulties in hiring reached its highest level ever, with 53% reporting shortages.