Germany's Social Democratic Party is proposing a change to migration law. The party wants to introduce the possibility for asylum seekers who have employment to obtain a residence permit. The proposal has been met with opposition from the Christian Democratic Union and the Alternative for Germany party. The debate was sparked by the case of a prisoner from Togo who faces deportation. The solidarity tax is to be used to fund integration.

SPD's new migration proposal

The Social Democrats propose that asylum seekers who have found employment in Germany could receive a residence permit. The proposal aims to speed up integration processes and fill gaps in the labor market.

Opposition's stance

The Christian Democratic Union and Alternative for Germany criticize the SPD's idea. The opposition parties claim that the principle of priority for Germans and EU citizens in the job market must remain intact.

Deportation case of prisoner from Togo

The debate surrounding the proposal was intensified by the case of a 32-year-old prisoner from Togo who faces deportation. The man was not recognized as a refugee but works in Germany. His story has become a symbol of the discussion about the practical dimension of migration policy.

Germany's Social Democratic Party (SPD) has presented a draft amendment to migration law aimed at facilitating the integration of asylum seekers through work. The proposal suggests that individuals who have found employment in Germany could receive a residence permit. The initiative aims to speed up integration processes and fill gaps in local labor markets, especially in sectors with workforce shortages. The proposal was met with immediate criticism from opposition parties – the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Alternative for Germany (AfD). Critics argue that the principle of priority for Germans and European Union citizens in the job market must remain intact. They also suggest that the proposal could create an incentive for economic migration, which could undermine the foundations of the German asylum system. The political debate gained an additional dimension in the context of the individual case of a 32-year-old prisoner from Togo who faces deportation despite having a job.The German asylum system is based on the principles of the 1951 Geneva Convention and national regulations, including the 2004 Residence Act. Since the 2015 migration crisis, which brought over a million people seeking protection to the country, migration policy has remained one of the most contentious topics in German domestic politics. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser of the SPD also announced that funds from the solidarity tax will be allocated to finance integration projects. This announcement indicates a broader plan by the coalition government, which includes the SPD, the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party, to link migration policy with labor market policy. Local authorities, especially in states represented in the Conference of Interior Ministers, had previously called for a more pragmatic approach to employing migrants. Decisions on the SPD's proposed legal change will require approval from both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, which given the current political balance of power could prove challenging.

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