As of: March 6, 2024, 7:18 a.m
By: Harald Bartels
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Devi Bahadur Rai is working on a pane of glass on the grinding machine, behind: company owner Rolf Bartsch.
© Bartels
The shortage of skilled workers is an ongoing issue, not just in the skilled trades.
The lack of understanding is all the greater when a prospective skilled worker is to be deported, as in the case of the Glas Marner company in Sulingen.
The person affected is Devi Bahadur Rai, who comes from the Jhapa district in southeast Nepal.
Sulingen – As a member of the Buddhist minority, he applied for asylum in Germany in 2011.
He was already living in Sulingen in Lower Saxony back then and was employed, among other things, at the municipal building yard.
Before he had to leave the country again in 2020 after his asylum application was rejected, he met a woman with whom he also kept in touch via social media from Nepal.
The now 48-year-old returned to Germany in July 2022, and the couple married and moved in together in August.
Possible deportation of Devi Bahadur Rai: “We are up to our necks in water”
In October 2022, Bahadur Rai initially started working as a glazier's assistant at the traditional company Glas Marner.
“He is a technically skilled, friendly and sociable employee,” praises owner Rolf Bartsch, and so he received a training contract to become a glazier and glass maker.
In December 2023, however, his wife had him kicked out of their shared apartment through a lawyer, reports Bartsch.
He then accommodated his trainee in a company apartment.
However, the separation brought the immigration authorities of the Diepholz district into action: They revoked the residence permit for Devi Bahadur Rai and announced his deportation for January 12th.
“The letter came on December 23rd,” Bartsch remembers, “that’s heartless.”
An objection was lodged with the help of a lawyer from Hanover, but a new deportation date has already been set for mid-March - “We are up to our necks in water,” Bartsch makes clear.
“Thank God that we hired a specialist lawyer, it’s all very complicated.”
Continuity of traditional craft businesses questionable due to possible deportation
He cannot understand the deportation process: “Devi is interested, clean and reliable – you want an apprentice like that!” During his time, he trained 25 apprentices at Glas Marner, and – unlike Bahadur Rai – “not all of them were happy to be taken along the journeyman.
It is completely incomprehensible that someone like Devi should be deported.”
In addition, in this case it is not about the fate of Devi Bahadur Rai alone, but also about the continued existence of the craft business that was founded more than 70 years ago: a long-standing employee retired in November, and another will follow in March.
“Devi is supposed to form the framework of the company with our young master, but the master can’t do it alone – then we can close the shop.”
At the request of our newspaper, Mareike Rein, press and public relations officer for the Diepholz district, said that the district does not release information on individual cases for data protection reasons.
In general, it depends on the residence permit whether a training relationship plays a role: “This is certainly relevant for the corresponding residence permits for employment.
However, if you are staying for family reasons, the training relationship plays a subordinate role.”
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In order to prevent the deportation of Bahadur Rai and thus the closure of Glas Marner, Rolf Bartsch is not only relying on legal support, he has also contacted politicians.
He received an assurance from CDU member of the Bundestag Axel Knoerig that he would contact the district, and an appointment had been arranged with SPD member of the Bundestag Peggy Schierenbeck.
She also gave him a contact person in the Ministry of the Interior.
If necessary, Bartsch announces that he will go to court: “Then we hope that the judges will be understanding.” And Bahadur Rai is not discouraged: “We will remain positive.”