Germany relaxes its rules in bid for workers

Germany has opened its door more widely to the world's jobseekers.

The nation, Europe's largest economy and its factory floor, was already a major destination for people from the European Union's other 26 members, thanks to the bloc's freedom of movement legislation.

Now, thanks to a decision by lawmakers in the nation's Parliament — the Bundestag — on Friday, jobseekers from non-EU economies will also be able to move there to seek work.

Nancy Faeser, Germany's interior minister, said: "It's unacceptable that you have to fill in 17 different applications to bring a new care worker into the country."

Faeser, from the center-left Social Democrats, said the changes will also make it easier for asylum seekers to find work in Germany.

The nation has 2 million vacancies and is hoping to attract 400,000 new skilled workers because of the changes, Faeser said.

Germany's closely aligned main opposition parties — the center right Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union, or CSU, broadly supported attracting more jobseekers from beyond the EU but said standards must not be lowered.

Andrea Lindholz, a CSU lawmaker, claimed the relaxing of language requirements, for example, will lead to an influx of lower-skilled workers.

Germany's state-owned broadcaster Deutsche Welle, or DW, quoted her as saying the changes run the risk of "turning the asylum process into a kind of state-financed job-seeking opportunity in Germany".

Norbert Kleinwachter, a lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany party, went further, claiming the overhauled immigration law will turn Germany into a "junk country".

"What you have put together in a 100-page draft law could be summed up in one sentence," DW quoted him as saying ahead of the vote. "Everyone gets in, but no one gets thrown out."

But those against the changes lost, by a vote of 388 to 234, with 31 abstentions.

The overhaul of the immigration law includes the creation of "opportunity cards" that people can apply for ahead of traveling to Germany. In the past, people had to get work first, before they could apply for a work visa and enter the country.

The opportunity cards will let jobseekers stay in Germany for one year and cardholders will also be able to take spouses, children, and parents to Germany.

To get a card, people will need a vocational qualification or university degree. Those with a degree that is not recognized by Germany will be able to get a card if they have at least two years of professional experience.

The BBC said the new immigration system will be similar to Canada's points-based system, and prioritize people based on their age, skills, qualifications, and links to Germany.

The nation also plans to change its citizenship law, so people will be able to hold two nationalities.