German Migration: Development, Assimilation, and Labour Market Effects

Abstract

Abstract In 2001, for the first time in German legal history, the Federal Government had introduced a comprehensive immigration bill that contained a visible economic element. This ended a period of decades, where Germany was seen against all empirical evidence as ‘no immigration country’. After years of political standstill, it seemed as if Germany was about to experience a sea change in migration policy at precisely a time when other nations were contemplating further restrictions on immigration in the face of international terrorism. After nearly four years of negotiations, the German government and the opposition agreed upon a new immigration law, which passed the German Federal Council in July 2004. The law allows legal immigration of workers only in the case of highly qualified foreigners, such as engineers, computer specialists, and scientists. In addition, self-employed people who offer a certain number of jobs to natives will be allowed to immigrate, and the law makes it easier for responsible officials to deport hate preachers and terror suspects.