Previous Introductions to Immigration Law

Valid from 2005 until August 2012

Best heads will receive red carpet treatment; specialists are free to have a job even before privileged persons have had a chance to accept it. What is this red carpet? "Settlement permit" will be your reward! Petty qualified are not at all attracted to live and work in Germany. There are already more than enough low educated persons existing and not having a job. "Other reasons" will get a chance. This "chance" goes hand in hand with your citizenship, i.e. in as much as your country is a buddy country of Germany.

The most outstanding change in the requirements for permanent residency is “integration”. The previous law (prior to 2005) did not even know the word “integration”. This does not only stress a prominent wish of the German government but also places a demand on the foreigner to integrate or leave and on the German government to promote integration. While preparing this presentation, a neat pun showed up. First, it seemed German law was demanding or in German “fordern” the integration but then after a second look they were also fostering “fördern” the integration. This pun exactly describes the situation. Germany expects you to integrate but also helps you to do so. How does Germany help you integrate? Integration courses are the name of the game.