Germany to reform immigration law to attract skilled migrant workers

BERLIN (AA) - Germany on Wednesday announced a set of reforms to attract qualified skilled workers from abroad, as the country is facing a workforce shortage, especially in the information technology, renewable energy and medical sectors.

“We have agreed on a position paper during today’s Cabinet meeting. We will adopt the most modern immigration law in Europe,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters in Berlin.

“We have so many job vacancies, but we can't find skilled employees for these positions. We absolutely need immigration from non-EU countries. We urgently need skilled workers in Germany, in sectors such as information technology, and health care sectors,” she added.

According to the government’s plan, Germany will adopt a new “points-based immigration system” similar to the Canadian model, which will allow well-qualified non-EU citizens to come to the country and look for a job.

The reform also foresees simplifying administrative procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications of immigrants and making it easier for them to bring family members with them.

Germany, which is the EU’s largest economy, needs 400,000 qualified workers from abroad each year, according to the government’s estimate.

The shortage of skilled workers is costing the German economy more than €80 billion ($83 billion) annually, according to a recent report by Boston Consulting Group.