MIGRATION

The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has reported a significant 23 percent reduction in asylum applications across the EU+ region (EU Member States plus Norway and Switzerland), with 399,000 new claims registered between January and June 2025, 114,000 fewer than during the same period in 2024. A striking downturn in applications from Syrian nationals played a central role. Syrian …

Germany is increasingly recognising the professional qualifications of foreign workers — a trend seen as vital for addressing the country’s acute shortage of skilled labour. According to new data from the Federal Statistical Office, 79,100 applications for recognition of foreign qualifications were approved in 2024, an increase of 21 percent compared to the previous year. Since systematic recording began in …

A bold new initiative led by the African diaspora in Germany is set to reshape how skilled labour migration between Africa and Europe is managed. The 360° Labour Mobility programme, launched recently in Ghana and Nigeria, creates a structured pathway for African professionals to access job opportunities in Germany. Germany faces a looming demographic crisis. According to the Institute for …

In a welcome development, Germany has unveiled four new Schengen visa application centres — two in Nigeria (Abuja and Lagos), one in Yaoundé (Cameroon) and another in Nicosia (Cyprus). This expansion, launched under a renewed seven-year agreement with VFS Global, seeks to streamline visa services and reduce bottlenecks affecting applicants. VFS Global is the world’s largest outsourcing and technology services …

The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued a landmark ruling that raises the standard for EU countries when designating “safe countries of origin” in asylum procedures. Persons from safe countries of origin have little chance of being granted asylum in the EU. According to the Court, a country can only be considered safe if all groups within its population, …

One year after its launch, Germany’s Opportunity Card (‘Chancenkarte’) visa scheme is gaining momentum as a pathway for non-EU skilled workers to enter the country and search for employment. Introduced under Section 20a of the German Residence Act, the visa allows qualified third-country nationals to stay in Germany for up to 12 months to seek work or have their foreign …

Germany’s federal parliament, the Bundestag, has voted to suspend family reunification rights for refugees with subsidiary protection status for two years — a controversial move that has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups, churches and opposition parties. The suspension, which primarily affects Syrian refugees, marks the first step in a series of planned reforms by the federal government to …

While recent US immigration raids make international headlines, a quiet surge in enforcement across Europe is increasingly targeting undocumented migrants, many of them from Africa. In France, the interior ministry this month deployed 4,000 police officers to conduct sweeping ID checks at train and bus stations. Migrant rights group La Cimade called the move “Trumpist,” warning it portrays undocumented people …

In a major ruling that challenges Germany’s increasingly restrictive asylum policies, the Higher Social Court of Lower Saxony has declared that asylum-seekers cannot be completely cut off from state welfare support even when their application has been rejected under the EU’s Dublin Regulation and their deportation is delayed. The decision, announced Monday, 23 June, stems from the emergency appeal of …

A growing number of migrants living in Germany are contemplating leaving the country due to political dissatisfaction, high taxes, excessive bureaucracy and personal preferences. This is the key finding of a new study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), which raises concerns about the long-term retention of skilled foreign workers vital to Germany’s labour market. The study, published recently, …

YANA Berlin has relaunched its services to provide support for asylum-seekers and other new African migrants in the German capital on 1 April. The migrant advisory service, run by the nonprofit German-African Initiative for Development and Integration (GAIDI), operates under the motto “You Are Not Alone in Berlin” (YANA Berlin), offering guidance to ease integration. Supported by the Stiftung Berliner …

The leaders of nine EU countries — Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — have issued a joint letter urging a rethinking of how the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) applies to migration. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen led the initiative, which calls for greater national discretion …

By Sola Jolaoso | The African Courier Planned visa restrictions under the UK’s upcoming immigration reforms could significantly affect African nationals, particularly those from Nigeria, as the British government moves to tighten control over legal migration routes that it believes are being misused for asylum claims. According to a BBC News report published on 6 May 2025, the UK Home …

Italy has begun implementing a controversial migration deal with Albania, transferring the first group of 40 migrants from Italian detention centres to a facility in northern Albania. The move marks the formal launch of an offshore deportation programme that critics say undermines human rights and legal protections for asylum seekers. Under the agreement signed between Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni …

Since its introduction in 2023, Germany’s Opportunity Residence Act has granted over 82,000 people with a suspended deportation order a path to legal status. A new government plan will tighten this scheme, but hope remains, reports Femi Awoniyi. Since January 2023, the Opportunity Residence Act (Chancen-Aufenthaltsrecht) has enabled people with a Duldung (tolerated stay) to receive an 18-month temporary residence …

The European Commission has proposed designating seven countries as “safe countries of origin,” aiming to expedite the processing of asylum applications from their nationals. Under this proposal, asylum claims from individuals originating from these nations would be subject to accelerated procedures, with decisions expected within three months, compared to the standard six-month timeframe. The Commission justifies this move by citing …

The party leaders of the CDU, CSU and SPD presented the coalition agreement this week, outlining their plans for a joint government. One of the dominant topics is migration. Among other significant changes to the country’s migration policies, Germany’s incoming government, led by Chancellor-designate Friedrich Merz of the CDU, intends to scale back recent liberalisations in citizenship law, tighten family …

The European Commission unveiled a draft law on 11 March aimed at expediting deportations of undocumented migrants across Europe — a legislation that critics say undermines human rights and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including many Africans. The proposal, rushed through amid political pressure, has been sharply condemned by migrant advocacy groups for its lack of consultation and comprehensive impact assessments. …

German higher education is witnessing a notable rise in international enrolments, with the 2024 academic year marking a significant shift in student demographics. Approximately 491,400 new students began their studies at German universities last year—a 2% increase compared to the previous year—with the surge driven entirely by foreign applicants. Recent data from the Federal Statistical Office, as reported by various …

A new study by the German Economic Institute (IW), commissioned by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), has highlighted the significant economic benefits that international students bring to Germany. The research found that international students generate a return eight times greater than the government’s investment in their education. With around 492,600 international students currently studying in Germany, the country has …