The federal government only wants to give tolerated foreigners better opportunities to stay legally in Germany permanently. This emerges from a draft by Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, which the cabinet in Berlin passed on Wednesday according to government sources. According to this, rejected asylum seekers should still be able to receive a right to stay via the so-called change of lanes.

For example, people who have been tolerated, permitted or lived in Germany with a residence permit for five years on January 1, 2022 should be able to acquire a one-year “opportunity right of residence”, as a spokesman for the ministry explained. This is intended to put an end to the hitherto common practice of “chain toleration”. Within one year, people can meet the other requirements for a right to stay.

If it can then be proven that there is sufficient knowledge of German and that they can make a living, the people should be allowed to stay permanently. As of December 31, 2021, there were 242,029 tolerated foreigners in Germany, 136,605 of them for more than five years. Criminals and people who have proven to have given false information about their identity are not given this opportunity. Criminals should also be deported more consistently.

The draft also provides that skilled workers and their family members can come to Germany more easily from abroad. In addition, access to language and integration courses is to be expanded. “The Federal Government is concerned with creating a new beginning in migration and integration policy with an active and orderly policy that does justice to a modern immigration country,” said the spokesman.

“We create new opportunities for people who have already become part of our society and are well integrated.” The law must be passed by the Bundestag, the consent of the Bundesrat is not required.