Who will be most affected by move to end fast-track German citizenship?

Local Germany

5 days ago

Germany's Federal Cabinet in Berlin passed two bills that aim to tighten the country's migration policies around family reunification and citizenship requirements on Wednesday.
The bills, which still need to be passed by the Bundestag before becoming law, were put forward by
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU).
One would end the possibility that highly integrated foreigners can naturalise as German after just three years - instead of the standard five.
The conservative Christian Union parties (CDU/CSU) and the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) had already agreed the reform in their coalition deal.
So who will be affected if the bill become law?
Then CDU leader, and now Chancellor, Friedrich Merz
had announced at the beginning of April
that his conservative-led government intended to end the fast track to German citizenship.
"The so-called 'turbo naturalisation' after three years won't be taking place anymore," Merz said. "Naturalisation will only be possible after five years," he said.
The three-year track for well-integrated immigrants was introduced in mid-2024 as part of a sweeping reform of Germany's citizenship rules. Those reforms also introduced the possibility for non-EU nationals to get German citizenship and become dual nationals - previously this was only available to those with an EU nationality.
It also reduced the standard residence requirement for citizenship for non-EU nationals from eight years to five.
READ ALSO:
Who qualifies for 'special integration' status under Germany's citizenship law?
Under those 2024 rules immigrants who had achieved 'special integration status' could apply for German citizenship after living in the country for three years.
Essentially to qualify for the fast track process, applicants needed to prove C1 level German language skills, a high level of performance in their studies or work, and that they have contributed to German society with volunteer work.
In a
previous explainer The Local looked at what was meant by "special integration status"
and what applicants needed to do to achieve it.
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We wrote: "In addition to language proficiency, applicants may need to complete German integration courses to qualify. Demonstrating certain work achievements, such as holding full time employment in Germany for some time, may also help.
"Ultimately, whether or not you qualify for a fast-tracked citizenship application will likely come down to a decision by Germany's Immigration Office (
Landesamt für Einwanderung).
But completing an integration course or education program, achieving a higher German language proficiency level, and securing stable employment will all improve your chances.
"Regular volunteering with German charity organisations or exceptional professional achievements will also help your case."
'Reduces the incentive for high skilled migrants to come to Germany'
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Who is the new German minister in charge of immigration?
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Critics of the coalition government's move to scrap the turbo naturalisation process say it will only affect the most qualified applicants – in other words a group of immigrants that German politicians claim to want to attract to the country.
Herbert Brücker from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB)
told The
Rheinische
Post
that the scrapping of the fast track process would "r
educe the incentive for highly qualified people to come to Germany."
"Naturalisation after three years mainly applies to highly qualified migrants with high incomes," he said.
The black-red coalition has said that it wants to continue to encourage skilled labour immigration, which is seen by most political parties as a necessity given Germany's severe and growing
shortage of skilled workers
.
But much of the conservative leaders' rhetoric on immigration has focused on tightening immigration policies in general rather than encouraging new workers to move to, or integrate in, the country.
"The withdrawal of accelerated naturalisation negatively affects precisely the group of people we want in Germany," Brücker added.
However, Winfried Kluth, the chairman of the Expert Council on Integration and Migration (SVR) believes the withdrawal of the fast track to naturalisation was a sensible move.
"It corrects the impression of too easy access to German citizenship," Kluth said.
He said that with the three-year path in place some people qualified for citizenship before they qualified for permanent residence.