KEY POINTS on the immigration of skilled workers from third countries by the federal government

The future of Germany as a business location depends to a large extent on this, how well we will succeed, to secure and expand the skilled labor base. The German economy is currently prospering. The job market is also excellent: Unemployment is lower than it has been since reunification and employment subject to social security contributions is at record levels. In some regions there is already full employment. But this pleasing development also means, that businesses and companies are already having difficulties today, for certain qualifications, Regions and industries to find qualified specialists for the future. Overall, the shortage of skilled workers has developed into a significant risk for the German economy. The increasingly noticeable demographic change and rapidly advancing digitization will intensify this in the future. If we remain competitive and want to maintain Germany as a strong business location, we have to work together with industry to recruit skilled workers, that the job market needs: University graduates and people with qualified vocational training. The stability of our social security systems is also closely linked to this.
We will realign the federal government's skilled labor concept, by having a comprehensive skills strategy in the Cabinet 2019 Decide and focus on three areas: the domestic, the European and international skilled labor potential. The federal government will develop the skilled labor strategy in dialogue with the social partners.
Our efforts are primarily focused on this, to raise and secure the domestic potential. We will intensify our efforts to achieve a better work-life balance, because it applies, to tap into the valuable, as yet unused potential of women in particular. We also want to enable them to participate, whose integration into the first labor market is difficult and requires special support or efforts. A major adjustment screw will be to ensure the employability of all workers. It applies specifically, to support them, to maintain and adapt their qualifications and skills in the changing world of work. To do this, we will become a National Wei-
develop an education strategy together with all stakeholders, in order to bundle the further training programs of the federal and state governments and to align them more closely with the needs of employees and companies. We want to establish a new culture of further training, based on the diverse commitment to further training in companies and the motivation of employees.
As the federal government, we are creating the appropriate framework conditions for securing skilled workers. To meet the needs of the labor market of the future, everyone involved must play their part. This also includes, the potential of people with a refugee background, who are allowed to work as a result of their residence status, to use for our labor market.
Also in the implementation of the coalition agreement, the uniform application of the training tolerance (3+2-regulation) implemented and the agreed training in helper professions are included.
We stand by the principle of separating asylum and labor migration. We will define clear criteria for a reliable status of tolerated persons in the right of residence, who secure their livelihood through their employment and are well integrated.
In addition, we will do more to promote this, that more people complete qualified training.
Skilled workers from abroad are already making an important contribution to the competitiveness of the German economy. After the high economic growth of recent years was also supported by immigration from member states of the European Union, this migration balance is currently declining. We will do more to do this in the future, To show long-term opportunities in Germany to skilled workers from the member states of the European Union.
However, all these efforts will not be enough in the future, to mobilize enough workers. In addition, we must therefore also become significantly more successful in attracting qualified specialists from third countries. This also applies to training to become specialists. It is important: We do not want immigration of unqualified third-country nationals. We will ensure this through clear criteria, that the rules cannot be abused.
Overall, we align our efforts to the needs of our economy and take qualifications into account, age, Linguistic proficiency, Proof of a specific job offer and adequate means of subsistence.
We want the administrative procedures in the In- and abroad more efficiently and transparently.

Against this background, we have decided on the following points on the basis of the coalition agreement for the targeted and controlled recruitment of qualified specialists from third countries:

1. legal framework: Control and strengthen the immigration of skilled workers as needed
With a Skilled Immigration Act, we regulate clearly and understandably, who to work- and training purposes may come to us and who may not. We are starting with the need for skilled workers in our economy and will open up the existing regulations in a targeted manner and make them clearer and more transparent. We focus on the need for skilled workers with qualified vocational training. remains important, that we fundamentally stick to the equivalency test of the qualifications, to ensure, that skilled workers integrate into the labor market in the long term. The examination of the working conditions by the Federal Employment Agency also remains in place. We will prevent immigration into the social systems.
If there is a job and a recognized qualification, are intended for university graduates and specialists with qualified vocational training in all professions, to which the acquired qualification enables, able to work in Germany. This eliminates the restriction to bottleneck occupations. In principle, we refrain from the priority check. There will be an opportunity to protect our employees, to maintain the priority check in labor market regions with above-average unemployment or. to be reintroduced in the short term.

For specialists with qualified vocational training, who arrive from abroad, we will the possibility (without legal claim) of temporary residence to look for a job in all professions, to which the acquired qualification enables, analogous to the regulation for university graduates (6 months) provide. The prerequisite is in particular, that a recognized qualification and German language skills corresponding to the desired activity are available. For economic reasons, certain professional groups can be excluded by ordinance of the federal government. We reject immigration into the social systems. In addition, we adhere to the requirement of proof of subsistence security before entry. The regulation is limited to five years.
The possibility that already exists, to carry out qualification measures in Germany on the basis of foreign qualifications in order to obtain a qualification recognized in Germany (§ 17a Residence Act), should be used more. So we will check, how we can make this possibility legally and actually more attractive.

In order to meet the growing number of open training positions, we want to improve opportunities for access to vocational training. In doing so, we will examine the framework conditions, how we can create opportunities to look for an apprenticeship and which applicants might be suitable.
For more transparency, we will restructure the regulations on the immigration of skilled workers, unify and simplify. We want to give skilled workers abroad a clear and reliable signal about their opportunities and perspectives in Germany. In addition, we want further structural simplifications of the right of residence and adjustments to definitions, procedures and responsibilities.

2. ensure the quality of professional practice: Fast and easy recognition procedures
We need well-trained professionals: The recognition of professional qualifications brought along is a key to successful labor market integration. It secures prospects on the labor market and contributes to ensuring the quality of professional practice in Germany. To make Germany more attractive for international skilled workers, we want to create the conditions, that the equivalence test of the professional or. academic qualifications is carried out as quickly and easily as possible.

In cooperation with the federal states, we want to further develop the recognition system for professional qualifications, make it more efficient through bundling and centralization and simplify it while maintaining quality standards. We aim to set up a clearing house recognition, accompanies the skilled workers from abroad through the recognition procedure and supports it.
We will continue to improve the information offered for potential skilled workers.
We will expand the advisory services for interested parties abroad, both on site and through the development of a central advisory structure. In addition, we will expand the regional advisory service for skilled workers from abroad in the “Integration through Qualification (IQ)" expand.
We will expand the recognition grant.
We want to enable the urgent need of our economy for IT specialists as well as in other selected bottleneck occupations with strong practical knowledge even without formal qualifications access to the labor market, if they have a job.

3. Targeted recruitment of skilled workers: Strategy for targeted recruitment of skilled workers and improved marketing together with business
We want to attract skilled workers and prospective skilled workers to Germany in a targeted manner. To this end, we will build on the numerous good and successful initiatives that already exist with a joint strategy of the federal government in cooperation with the private sector.
We will work in cooperation with the economy as well as the health- and care facilities develop a needs-oriented and targeted advertising strategy for recruiting skilled workers with a view to selected target countries. In addition to targeted marketing and mediation- and matching activities, this should also include the establishment of training opportunities abroad. We also want to support companies in selected target countries, additional training for the German labor market. We will act coherently in our actions on the ground. As the federal government, we are aware of the international principles for an ethically responsible recruitment of skilled workers and will take these into account in our measures and positive effects (z.B. capacity building, Strengthening local economic development) support financially.

The official information portal www.make-it-in-germany.com we want to develop it into an umbrella portal of the federal government for skilled workers from abroad. This is done jointly by BMWi and German industry- and the Association of Chambers of Commerce, "Opening foreign skilled labor potential and creating a culture of welcome" is used for this purpose, to gear planned measures for the targeted acquisition of skilled workers to the needs of the economy.

4. German language skills important: Increased language support in the In- and abroad
Knowledge of the German language is very important, to work on the German- and training market to exist. In line with the target countries of the advertising strategy, we will therefore offer our language support in the In- and intensify abroad.
To this end, we want to promote the language courses through the Goethe-Institut more and further develop work-related German language support, the cooperation of the economy in particular German industry- and Chamber of Commerce Day/German Chambers of Commerce Abroad, Federal Association of German Industry, Confederation of German Employers' Associations, Central Association of German Crafts but also regional associations such as Nah- and Middle East association or individual companies) expand with foreign representations with the aim of promoting German as a foreign language, z.B. in the form of internships, lectures or career days (especially in cooperation with the schools of the partner school initiative (PASCH)),

Increased use of test formats for job-related language skills from the Goethe Institute and the Central Office for Schools Abroad, the acquisition of language- and promote the ability to study in a package (for example through the already existing "Studienbrücke" of the Goethe-Institut), examine the possibility of expanding preparatory colleges, particularly abroad (Acquisition of language qualifications and university entrance requirements) and create the opportunity, completing preparatory courses abroad (including assessment test), Expand vocational cooperation with schools abroad and training partnerships, to contribute, the need for specialists with qualified vocational training (z.B. in the areas of technology, IT, Health and care) to cover and offers of vocational training programs with integrated language training, especially in the care sector, create, which are primarily offered abroad and financed by the industry itself.

5. Administrative procedures in the In- and abroad more efficiently and transparently
Suggestions from practice to improve communication, We take into account the duration of the procedure and the availability of our authorities. We will explain the procedures between visa offices, immigration authorities, the labor administration, bodies responsible for the recognition of professional qualifications and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and on this basis more efficiently, make it more transparent and future-oriented.
We will use and expand opportunities for e-government solutions and want to set up a competitive online offering for information and advice and, in the future, also for applications and communication between those involved; In particular, we want to digitize the visa process. We will examine options for bundling competencies.
We want, that the diplomatic missions abroad receive the best possible support from the domestic authorities in the procedures for immigrating skilled workers, to speed up the process.

The administrative procedures in the federal government are underpinned by the necessary financial and human resources.
To ensure a coherent approach and closely interlinked measures within the federal government, we have in April 2018 a steering group set up at state secretary level. Here we will continue to regularly exchange information about the necessary measures and take a look at new challenges. We want to achieve our goals together.

Should these facilitations 2023 end in a law, would this be a way to recruit skilled workers.

Your Rudolf Sagner