Exception rule - WamS": "Asyl-applicants seldom change to specialist procedures
Asyl-applicants have hardly managed to obtain a secure residence status as Skilled workers in Germany so far. A survey by the newspaper "Welt am Sonntag" in the ten cities with the most inhabitants revealed that only a few asyl-applicants have taken advantage of the new possibility of switching from the asylum procedure to the skilled worker procedure.
"So far, no asyl-applicants have made this switch in Dortmund," a city spokesperson told the newspaper. A spokesperson for Frankfurt am Main reported, "no cases have been reported yet." Duesseldorf reported one case. Cologne reported "very rare" applications. Some cities stated they could not make a statement. Munich reported somewhat higher numbers: Around 25 people had applied for the switch. Some of them had already been granted. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees stated, upon request, that no nationwide figures were available, reported the "Welt am Sonntag".
Since November 2023, asyl-applicants who entered before March 29, 2023, and have a qualification and a job offer can apply for a residence permit as Skilled workers - if they withdraw their asylum application. Previously, one had to leave the country and apply for a work visa from abroad. Critics had already criticized the rules as too complicated in the previous year.
- Despite the exception rule implemented in November 2023, many asyl-seekers in Berlin have yet to switch their residency status from asylum applicants to skilled workers.
- The enormous complexity of the new rules has led some experts in the labor market to advocate for a gear shift in the application process for foreigners seeking residency status.
- The WamS survey revealed that a small number of asyl-applicants in Germany's major cities, such as Berlin, have made successful transitions to skilled worker status under the new rule.
- In contrast to cities like Munich, Dortmund appears to be an exception; the city spokesperson reported zero asylum-applicants taking advantage of the change in status.
- The communication gap between asylum seekers and the relevant authorities in Dortmund could potentially explain the lack of applications for skilled worker status, as suggested by some commune representatives.
- Despite the criticisms and challenges, the residency status switch for asyl-applicants with qualifications and job offers continues to be an option, opening up new opportunities for skilled migration in Germany's thriving labor market.
