Germany has introduced a new draft law to make getting citizenship easier. The proposed legislation, unveiled by the German Interior Ministry, is part of Berlin’s efforts to encourage migration and increase job opportunities in the largest economy of Europe.
According to Reuters, the proposed legislation includes options for dual citizenship and reduces the required years of residency for naturalization from eight to either five or three years.
The draft legislation recommends relaxing German language requirements for citizenship, particularly for individuals from the “Gastarbeiter” generation, who migrated from Turkey in the 1950s and 60s as laborers.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stressed the importance of allowing individuals who have integrated into German society to have a say in shaping the country’s future through democratic participation.
Faeser cited countries like Canada as examples, highlighting the need for this perspective in attracting the skilled workers that Germany requires.
In line with its objective to address worker shortage in various sectors such as gastronomy, childcare, IT, and renewable energies, the German government agreed last year to revamp its immigration law. This reform will open up the job market to non-European Union (EU) workers.
Germany recorded 72.4 million individuals with German citizenship and 10.7 million individuals with foreign citizenship by the end of 2021. Out of these, around 5.7 million had been living in the country for a minimum of 10 years.
The proposed law has faced opposition from both the ruling coalition and the conservative opposition party. Critics argue that the bill could increase illegal migration while simultaneously reducing the motivation for migrants to fully integrate into German society.
