Germany to introduce legislation to abolish fast-track path to citizenship

By Michael Nienaber

 

Germany plans to introduce legislation to abolish a fast-track option that allows well-integrated migrants to naturalize after three years in the country. The move is part of a wider effort by new conservative leader Friedrich Merz to make Europe’s largest economy less attractive to foreigners. 

 

The cabinet is expected on Wednesday to approve a bill put forth by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to get rid of expedited citizenship, a measure introduced under former Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government to facilitate integration and ease massive labor shortages.

 

“Express naturalisation after three years of residency was a mistake. We are putting an end to it now,” Dobrindt told the Bild tabloid. “German citizenship must come at the end of an integration process and not at the beginning.” 

 

Under existing policy, residents can apply for naturalisation after three years in Germany so long as they have achieved fluency in German and can show outstanding educational or professional accomplishments. Otherwise, permanent residents can apply for German citizenship after five years if they meet certain requirements involving language skills and knowledge of German history.

 

Dobrindt, a senior member of the Bavarian CSU, the sister party to Merz’s CDU, said that three years was too little time to be able to “integrate into the living conditions” in Germany.

 

Dobrindt also voiced hope that the change in legislation would reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to Germany. Accelerated naturalization created “false incentives” the minister said, adding, “we are reducing these pull factors.” 

 

Given the lack of skilled workers across all sectors of the economy, business groups have for years called on the government to make Germany more attractive to foreign skilled workers and to lower the hurdles to employing them.

 

Senior politicians from Merz’s CDU and its co-governing party, the Social Democrats, plan to meet in the chancellery on Wednesday to discuss future legislation and key projects.

 

Among the measures on the agenda are the introduction of lower energy prices for industrial companies and rolling out special tax depreciation options for companies that invest in Germany. Both measures were included in the coalition agreement signed earlier this month.