In the early days of the refugee crisis, 2014 until the end of 2015, were not only refugees from Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan to Germany. Also, tens of thousands of migrants from the Balkan States, which do not belong to the EU, were on the way. These people mostly came from economic, not political reasons: In their home countries there was simply no work.
German companies had to labour from the Balkans immediate needs, many of them quickly found employment at construction companies, in the hospitality sector or in care. However, because there was for most of them, no reason for Flight, had failed in their asylum applications – the Balkans-workers have been deported, even if they already had a Job in Germany.
Without qualification to Germany
A counter-productive approach, not only economic and human rights associations. Therefore, the Federal government is summed up by the end of 2015 with two resolutions: The Western Balkan countries of Albania, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Northern Macedonia and Kosovo will be declared “safe countries of Origin”, whereby migrants from these countries have hardly any chances of a successful asylum application.
at the same time, however, the Federal government made an exemption for the citizens from these countries Who can demonstrate a work contract with a German company, it is allowed to come to Germany without any formal qualifications. The Western Balkan scheme was born.
Now, the Institute for labour market and occupational research (IAB) has released the research Institute of the Federal employment Agency, its final report to the scheme and the reads like a success story. According to the report, 58 percent of the 36,000-studied migrants, as a specialist, specialist or expert are employed, that is, a higher proportion than in other comparable migrant groups. Also, the average hourly wage of twelve euros gross per hour corresponds approximately to the earning of other groups of migrants. Monika Skolimowska/ZB/dpa Young migrants at work in a training centre of Siemens in Leipzig, Germany
No “immigration into the social systems”
Although mainly to the labour migrants from the Western Balkans often formal qualifications, says the report. However, the immigrants of betting made by “multi-year, and for the activity of relevant work experience” again. “These informal qualifications were asked of all respondents employers strong and valued. You don’t have sometimes even led to the classification of workers as skilled workers, even if they had completed any vocational training.“ The new workers from the Western Balkans will be so appreciated. This also speaks, that 80 percent of the surveyed employees stay for at least two years in your first operation.
The feared side effects of the Western Balkan arrangements were not, in turn, occurred, as stated in the report. Not to be an “immigration into the social systems” it came, only one percent of the employees have, in the meantime, related state benefits. And possible abuse, as trade unions had in the run-up to fears, feel “only occasionally”.
At the end of the year threatens to be
by the end of 2020, the rule from running. But that it is extended, is not the positive conclusion in Spite of. Because the Western Balkans is controversial. “It makes no sense, the labour market in the Western Balkans regime, especially for the low-skilled continue to keep, when we already have such a high number of unemployed people from this area,” said the domestic policy spokesman of the Union group, Mathias Middelberg (CDU), in March. “We have agreed in the coalition agreement that we want to control immigration.” Union group Vice-Thorsten Frei (CDU), spoke in the summer of an impending “new guest worker problem”. Parts of the Union group want to abolish the rule, in spite of all the successes so or a new model to replace it. dpa/Jörg Carstensen, The Deputy Thorsten Frei (CDU/CSU).
In the SPD-led foreign office to the high load by the Thousands of Visa applications at the embassies and consulates is a topic. In the year of 2017 applicants from Sarajevo, on average, had to wait twelve months of the grant of a visa, the embassies were simply overwhelmed. Employers and employees alike will be taken in this way, each “planning horizon,” notes the IAB report is critical.
“To these workers,
the FDP, the greens and the economy” representatives speak in turn, closed to the West Balkans in control. “It is completely irresponsible for the labour market and legal Migration so important a concept not to continue,” said North Rhine-Westphalia’s integration Minister, Joachim Stamp (FDP) in March. He predicted that illegal Migration will massively increase if the scheme would expire.
“would be to abolish The Western Balkan scheme, without replacement, a big mistake,” says Filiz Polat, migration policy spokesperson of the Greens in the Bundestag. And Felix Pakleppa, chief Executive of the Central Association of German construction industry, called the scheme “a mutually beneficial solution.” The construction industry is dependent “on these workers.”
However, the Ministry of labour, the Ministry of the interior and the Federal foreign office want to not look at the cards. Up to the early summer, the ministries want to make, together with the Federal government a rating. May also be the Coronavirus plays in making the decision: The result of the pandemic onset of the economic crisis could reduce the demand for labour from abroad for the time being, sensitive. Stock market professional, Dirk Müller: The United States will be stronger than ever from the recession FOCUS Online stock exchange professional Dirk Müller: The United States will be stronger than ever from the recession
