The traffic light government wants to make Germany more attractive for skilled workers from abroad.
As an immigration country, the Federal Republic still has a lot to learn on the way to this, comments Georg Anastasiadis.
Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil promises nothing less than the introduction of “the most modern immigration law in Europe”.
There is still a lot to be done, because reality is in stark contrast to this: no other immigration country accepts so much immigration into the social systems - and at the same time is so bureaucratic and unsuccessful in recruiting qualified skilled workers.
That needs to change.
By 2035, Germany will lose seven million workers because the baby boomers are retiring and there is no replacement in sight from the EU.
Birth rates are falling everywhere.
Draft immigration law for skilled workers offers good approaches
The key points of the Skilled Immigration Act that has now been presented, with its points system graded according to qualifications, language skills, professional experience, connection to Germany and age, and the "opportunity card" for immigrants from third countries, offer good approaches.
Even – Attention progress!
– People should be able to apply “digitally”.
Anyone who can do something should no longer feel like an annoying supplicant, but rather as a sought-after top performer.
For too long Germany has considered itself a place of longing for qualified people from all over the world.
However, not everyone seems to have gotten around to the fact that an attractive host country has less to do with moral standards or a hasty passport than with attractive tax rates.
The immigration country D still has a lot to learn.
The same applies to the labor market integration of foreigners who already live with us: To date, two thirds of the Syrians who came in 2015 are stuck on Hartz IV.
Meanwhile, the risks on the Balkan route are increasing again.
Uncontrolled migration is growing dangerously.
The traffic light still has a long way to go before it becomes “the most modern immigration law”.
And the coalition partners will not always be able to act as charitably as they did with “chance card” and “chance right to stay”.
George Anastasiadis