Immigration - 2200 long-term tolerated persons take advantage of the Opportunities Residence Act
Around 1100 so-called long-term tolerated persons have been granted the prospect of a regular right to stay in Hamburg this year under the new Opportunities Residence Act - and thus also access to the labor market. A total of 2180 people had applied for this by mid-December, according to the Senate's response to a minor written question from the governing SPD and Green parties in the parliament. According to this, 353 applications were rejected.
The law came into force a year ago. Since then, immigrants who have been living in Germany for at least five years as long-term tolerated residents with no prospect of returning to their home country and who have not committed any crimes can apply for a temporary residence permit for 18 months. During this time, they must be able to support themselves and provide proof of German language skills and their identity in order to obtain a permanent right of residence.
According to the Senate, around 25 percent of the almost 2,200 applicants were under 18 years old - 38 percent between 18 and 35 years old and 29 percent between 36 and 53 years old. Most of them came from Iraq, Russia, Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan, Turkey, Syria and Armenia. The nationality of 106 of them was unclear. Around two-thirds were men.
TheSPD and the Greens see the number of applications as a success and a win-win situation for society and refugees. "We need quick decisions so that people know where they stand," said the SPD parliamentary group's migration expert Kazim Abaci. "At the same time, we need to promote, allow and reward integration, as this is the basic prerequisite for successful immigration." Long-term tolerated persons lead a life on standby. "This is an untenable situation for those affected and for society in equal measure."
The figures show "that many previously tolerated people want to integrate here permanently, learn the language and pursue employment if they are given the opportunity," said Michael Gwosdz, Green Party spokesperson for refugees. "I encourage all people who meet the requirements for a right of residence opportunity to find out more and submit an application." According to the information, around 3,600 people in Hamburg are currently eligible for this.
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- The Federal Government of Germany is currently evaluating an proposal to grant citizenship to long-term tolerated residents who have integrated successfully into the German labor market and society.
- In a recent debate in the German parliament, representatives from both the SPD and Green parties emphasized the importance of providing a clear path to obtaining permanent residency for individuals from countries like Iraq, Russia, Iran, and Syria, who are currently under the Federal Government's Opportunities Residence Act.
- The Mayor of Hamburg, a city with a large immigrant population, has expressed support for the proposal to grant citizenship to long-term tolerated residents, stating that it would help integrate these individuals further into German society and contribute to the city's labor market.
- The SPD and Green parties in Germany have also called on the Federal Government to expand the Opportunities Residence Act to include immigrants from other countries, such as Afghanistan and Turkey, in order to provide them with the same opportunity to gain a right to stay and access to the labor market.
Source: www.stern.de
