Germany

About 131,600 foreigners became naturalised German citizens in 2021, according to a new report by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis). The figure represents an increase of roughly 21,700 naturalisations, or 20%, compared with the previous year. More than half of the increase is attributable to the large number of naturalisations of Syrians; 19,100 Syrian citizens were naturalised in 2021, which …

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 …

Building strong associations is a major challenge to self-organisation in the African community in Europe. There’re many groups but they’re not working together and therefore unable to fulfil their primary mission of empowering their communities. A new association in Germany wants to change all that. African-German Association (AGA) e.V. is bringing a new approach to building a strong community. It …

The federal government plans to reform the country’s migration laws. Among the features of the reform is the grant under certain conditions of regular residence permit to well-integrated asylum-seekers who have been living in Germany for more than five years with a so-called ‘tolerated stay permit’ (Duldung). A total of up to 105,000 people, whose deportation has been repeatedly suspended …

Excellent news for all workers in Germany. The federal parliament, the Bundestag, on Friday passed a bill raising minimum wage from 8.82 euros to 9.82 euros per hour from 1 July and to 12 euros on 1 October. The increase will affect 6.2 million people, out of an active working population of 45.2 million people. The bill was passed by …

The Consul General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in Frankfurt, Mr Wahab Akande, has pledged that passports would henceforth be issued six to eight weeks after the biometric data capturing of the applicants. The envoy made the pledge when he received a joint delegation of the Nigerian Community Germany (NCG) e.V. and the Concerned Nigerians Germany (CNG) e.V. on …

The Governor of Edo State, Mr Godwin Obaseki, will meet indigenes of Edo State living in Germany virtually and physically on Saturday, 4 June. The physical meeting will take place at the Mercure Hotel in Berlin. Governor Obaseki will interact with citizens of his state on issues of common concern. Many Edo indigenes in the diaspora have concrete suggestions on …

Afro-German activist Katharina Oguntoye has been awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesverdienstkreuz). The Order, colloquially known as the Federal Cross of Merit, is awarded to German and foreign citizens for political, social-economic and intellectual achievements as well as for serving the Federal Republic of Germany, such as through social engagement. Oguntoye (63) was presented …

A new month is here and we have put together some of the changes you should know about if you live in Germany. On the one hand, the first measures in the 2022 relief package to cushion the effect of rising energy costs enter into effect on 1 June. And there are also other important new regulations and laws. Here …

EU countries have generously been welcoming of the refugees from Ukraine since the Russian invasion of the country on 24 February. These are largely spared bureaucratic hurdles as they receive residence permits without individual assessment and have access to the job market, welfare benefits and other social support. In the shadow of the refugee crisis are the so-called third-country nationals …

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, …

Ukrainian refugees are entitled to regular social benefits as from 1 June, according to a law passed the Bundesrat, the upper chamber of the German federal parliament —— Refugees from Ukraine will be entitled to regular social benefits such as Hartz IV from June onwards. The Bundesrat approved a corresponding law on Friday (20 May), which implements an agreement between …

To offset the impact of rising energy prices caused by the Ukraine war and encourage the use of public transport, the German government introduced a subsidised nationwide ticket which costs only 9 euros per month for travels on public transport during ninety days in the summer. The upper chamber of the federal parliament approved the plan last Friday, clearing the …

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) Germany has launched a survey of Third Country Nationals (TCNs) from Ukraine in Germany. The pilot survey aims to generate first knowledge pertaining to TCNs’ needs, challenges and also vulnerabilities in Germany in order to inform advocacy and projects by IOM Germany and relevant stakeholders. The survey is easily accessible online via numerous devices (Computer, …

Around 9 per cent of the newly-elected MPs in North Rhine-Westphalia have a migration background, investigation by Mediendienst Integration, a service platform for journalists on issues of migration and integration in Germany, has found —— Germany’s most populous federal state, North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), elected a new state parliament on 15 May. According to the findings of Mediendienst Integration, 17 of …

The opinion of migration experts that refugees from Ukraine will stay longer in Germany as expected has now been supported by a member of the federal cabinet. Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil considers a longer stay of war refugees likely due to the level of destruction in many Ukrainian cities. “We have to be prepared for long periods of stay …

As the war in Ukraine rages on, many Africans and People of Colour fleeing the country are still stuck at its borders with its neighbours while those lucky to make it to Western Europe are facing different kinds of challenges. To draw attention to the travails of the non-Ukrainian victims of the war in Ukraine, a coalition of African groups …

We are of the conviction that everyone is needed to attain the ambitious SDGs. And that the creativity, know-how, contacts and financial resources of the diaspora are necessary to achieve the SDGs in every context

Text of the television address of the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany Olaf Scholz on the anniversary of the end of the Second World War in Europe, 8 May 2022 in which he addresses the fears of Germans on ongoing war in Ukraine ———- Dear fellow citizens! 77 years ago today, the Second World War ended in …