Migration & Integration

Most people with a history of immigration living in Germany speak German at home in addition to their mother tongue. This was revealed by the Federal Statistical Office in its report, released on Tuesday, citing the results of the 2022 micro census. About 24 per cent of the approximately 20.2 million people with a history of immigration in Germany only …

No more cash for refugees, but a “credit balance” on a payment card. All federal states have now agreed that from the beginning of 2025, refugees and asylum-seekers throughout Germany are to receive their social benefits via a prepaid debit card and no longer as cash or by bank transfer. The new card will be a “debit card” with credit …

The Bundesrat, the upper chamber of the federal parliament, has approved two further components of the new migration policy of the governing federal coalition – the laws on faster naturalisation and deportations. The Bundesrat on Friday decided not to refer the citizenship law to the mediation committee. The new law, which was passed by the Bundestag in January, stipulates that …

Almost 54,000 people have now received a residence permit through the right of residence programme (Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht) introduced just over a year ago by the German government. The amnesty scheme opens up a path to a long-term right of residence for tolerated persons. According to a survey conducted by Mediendienst Integration Service, 75,345 people have applied for a residence permit to …

The Bundestag, Germany’s lower house of parliament, approved the new “Repatriation Improvement Act” (Rückführungsverbesserungsgesetz) on 18 January. The law provides for a significant tightening of deportation rules. Among other things, the maximum period of pre-deportation custody is to be extended from 10 to 28 days. The number of cases in which public prosecutors are to be involved in deportations from …

November 2023 brings some important changes not only for people living in Germany but also those aspiring to come and work in the country. Among other things, it will now be much easier for skilled workers to immigrate to Germany. Is your car insurance renewing on 1 January 2024? We have news for you! Also, we inform about this year’s …

A project to support recent migrants, including refugees and asylum seekers from Africa as well as Africans displaced by the war from Ukraine, has launched in Berlin. Implemented by GAIDI, a non-profit social organisation, YANA Berlin (for You are not alone in Berlin) assists the African migrants by providing them important information that facilitates their integration into society. The project, …

The German government has appointed a special representative on migration who is expected to negotiate with major origin countries of refugees in Germany. Joachim Stamp was named early March as Germany’s first-ever “Special representative of the federal government for migration agreements.” He’s been saddled with the responsibility of finding a solution to the about 250,000 rejected asylum-seekers who are tolerated …

The Opportunity Residence Act (“Chancenaufenthaltsgesetz”) comes into force on 1 January 2023. Tolerated persons in Germany who had been living in Germany for five years or more on the cut-off date of 1 October 2022 are to receive a residence permit “on probation”. Tolerated persons are people who are obliged to leave the country but are allowed to stay temporarily …

According to a ruling of Germany’s highest court on constitutional matters, the reduction of benefits for single adult asylum-seekers in group accommodation facilities is unconstitutional. The regulation, according to which asylum-seekers living in group accommodation receive ten per cent less benefits than refugees living in flats, violates the basic right to be guaranteed a minimum subsistence level worthy of human …

The African Youth Education Awards (AYEA) 2022 marked its 10th anniversary on Saturday, 22 October, in Hamburg. The prestigious venue, a hall in the historic building housing the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hamburg, was packed full of young people, their parents and guests, including diplomats, politicians, city officials and a vice-president of the German federal parliament (Bundestag), Aydan …

A group supporting Africans who had fled the war in Ukraine and are currently seeking refuge in Germany has launched a series of online information sessions. The webinar series, implemented by the non-profit organisation Horizon Resource Network under the auspices of ‘Help for Africans from Ukraine in Germany’ (HAUG), is to provide an orientation guide to the affected Africans, who …

Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil has announced an imminent reform of Germany’s immigration law to address the shortage of skilled workers in the country. The shortage of skilled workers has risen to a new high in Germany, affecting 49.7 percent of companies in July, according to the ifo Institute. Germany would have to pull out all the stops to secure …

The African Youth Education (AYE) Awards holds its annual award ceremony at the premises of the IHK in Hamburg on Saturday, 22 October 2022. The youth empowerment initiative, which promotes educational achievement in the African community in Germany, marks its 10th anniversary this year. The scheme was initiated in 2011 to act against the observed low educational attainment level of …

The City of Hamburg presents itself as an employer with its many different employment opportunities from the fire brigade to the tax office, from educators to engineers or bus drivers.

Registration for participation in the African Youth Education Awards (AYEA) 2022 has been flagged off by its organisers. Every year, young people who have excelled in their educational and training careers are honoured with AYEA at a colourful ceremony in Hamburg. AYEA, an initiative to promote higher educational achievements among youth in African-origin communities in Germany, started in 2010. The …

Chancellor Olaf Scholz has announced that he wanted to end all restrictions to multiple nationality in the country’s citizenship law. Speaking at an event to mark the tenth anniversary of the scholarship and mentoring programme GEH DEINEN WEG (Go your way) of the Deutschlandstiftung Integration (German Foundation for Integration) in Berlin on Monday, he said 50 per cent of naturalisations …

Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, more than 600,000 Ukrainians and people of other nationalities resident in the country have entered Germany to seek refuge. Among the refugees are Africans, most of whom are students. Africans fleeing the war have been reportedly discriminated against while crossing the country’s borders into safety. Beyond their unsavoury …

Against the background of the difficult situation of non-Ukrainian nationals from Ukraine who were displaced by the war in the country and are currently seeking refuge in Germany, refugee, rights and diaspora support groups have issued an open letter to the Federal Interior Minister, demanding that all refugees from Ukraine should be treated equally. —— OPEN LETTER On the occasion …

Until now, refugees from Ukraine have been able to use public transport in cities and towns across Germany without a ticket. This regulation expires on 31 May 2022. Refugees from Ukraine therefore require a ticket when travelling on public transport from 1 June. An affordable alternative is the 9-Euro Ticket, which entitles holders to travel on public transport (regular buses, …