Dual citizenship in Germany set to become easier

Legislation aims to make dual citizenship easier as well as naturalization for non-EU citizens. The reforms are part of a wide-ranging overhaul of Germany's immigration law that is mainly aimed at encouraging more skilled workers to come to Germany and fill the massive shortages in the labor market.

What exactly is the government promising in terms of dual citizenship?

Thomas Sparrow, DW Correspondent: Germany’s actually one of a few European countries that has made dual citizenship rather difficult, unlike other countries in this group like the Netherland, Austria or Spain. This is something that the new German government wants to change, as part of their campaigns to make dual citizenship much easier for people who have lived in the countries for a certain number of years, for children who parents have lived in Germany for a certain number of years.

It’s important to understand this as part of a much wider project to change Germany’s immigration system. On the one hand, there is the understanding that Germany faces significant challenges when it comes to population becoming older, also shortages in terms of labor market.

As such, it’s one of the goal of this government led by the Social Democratic precisely: make all this easier. It’s a very big, also very challenging issue here in Germany, but it’s one that the coalition led by the Social Democratic certainly wants to change.

How big are the shortages in the labour market?

It is absolutely a key topic, a very evident topic as well. In fact, one that really affects a wide-ranging part of Germany’s economic system. Over fifty percent of German companies say this shortage is a risk for them. And it’s important here to understand that Germany’s power internationally, Germany’s influence internationally is to a large extent related to its economic power, so anything that might affect this economic power, this economic development is something that is of high concern here in the country.

That’s also why Germany’s government, also the labour ministry here in Berlin want to change, for example why foreign minister and also other members of the German cabinet are traveling around to make sure that they can attract skilled workers to here in Germany.

Does the German government have the support of the German population on these issues?

Indeed. That is actually unimportant to question because if you look generally at the topic of migration, according to recent polls, more Germans see negative consequences other than positive consequences when it comes to the topic of migration.

However, if you look at the issue of skilled labor, around forty percent of Germans actually want the government to attract more skilled workers. There is an understanding is this country that that is something that Germany needs. But as I have already mentioned, in general, migration is a controversial topic, also very difficult one for the German government led by the Social Democrats.