The federal government wants to significantly lower the hurdles for the immigration of skilled workers.

To this end, the income limits are to be significantly lowered and a points system introduced, as can be seen from a 23-page paper on immigration of skilled workers from third countries available from the Reuters news agency.

The aim is to cover the very large demand for workers.

The federal cabinet is expected to approve the paper on Wednesday.

The corresponding draft laws are then to be passed by the Federal Cabinet in the first quarter of 2023.

The implementation of the proposals would make Germany more of an immigration country than it has been so far.

“We will introduce a job search opportunity card based on a transparent, non-bureaucratic points system,” the paper says.

"The selection criteria can include qualifications, language skills, professional experience, connection to Germany and age." Those who have a recognized qualification receive the so-called "chance card" without further requirements.

In the event of only partial recognition, easier access is still sought.

Income thresholds should drop

Employers should be given a lot more freedom to decide who they want to hire.

"In the future, a recognized qualification will in principle entitle you to any qualified employment in non-regulated professions," it is emphasized.

The background to this is years of complaints from companies that they know much better than the authorities who they need and who they don't in the face of rapidly changing business requirements.

For highly qualified people, the income limits are lowered to the lowest level provided for in the corresponding EU directive on the so-called Blue Card.

"We will abolish the priority check for entry and residence to start an apprenticeship," it said.

For so-called non-regulated professions, at least two years of proven professional experience in the profession that is to be practiced should be sufficient.

The income threshold largely falls: "We set the salary threshold at 45 percent of the contribution assessment limit for general pension insurance," it says.

But a “downward” deviation from the salary threshold is also possible if the employer is bound by a collective bargaining agreement.

Employers are also responsible for checking language skills, which should make immigration much easier.

In addition, work opportunities are to be simplified in general, including for students, for example.

"So should e.g.

For example, people who have entered the country for a language course can also work up to 20 hours a week,” says the key issues paper.

The news portal t-online was the first medium to report on the paper.

According to estimates by the Nuremberg Institute for Labor Market and Vocational Research, Germany needs net immigration of 400,000 skilled workers per year in order to keep the labor force potential in Germany constant.