Lufthansa pilots call 48-hour strike for 4–5 May, threatening widespread flight cancellations
Germany’s new Asylum Act aligns with EU rules, speeds border decisions from June
ICT Card 2026: tougher salary parity tests and centralised ‘Work & Stay Agency’ reshape intra-company transfers
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May update: Deutsche Bahn freezes long-distance fares and other rule changes expats need to know
From 1 May, Deutsche Bahn will hold long-distance fares flat for a year, while a short-term fuel-tax cut, a pending €1,000 tax-free bonus, and a new online EV-subsidy portal also take effect. The measures lower transport costs for expatriates and employers but require updated travel and car-policy planning.
Government data: deportations fall 22 % in Q1 2026, opposition renews call for moratorium
Germany deported 4,807 people in Q1 2026—1,344 fewer than a year earlier—marking the first quarterly decline in five years. While the interior ministry calls the fall ‘operational fluctuation’, opposition parties demand a broader deportation freeze, keeping migration policy firmly in the public spotlight.
Berlin hails 13,500 Moroccan recruits as model for new skilled-migration pacts
Foreign Minister Wadephul told reporters in Rabat that 13,500 Moroccan nationals received German work or training visas in the past two years, calling the flow “indispensable” for Germany’s labour market. Berlin aims to deepen the partnership and use it as a template for further talent agreements.
Germany Opens Door for Skilled Workers to Reunite with Parents Under New 2026 Rules
As of 2026, skilled workers whose first German residence permit was issued on or after 1 March 2024 can apply to bring parents (and parents-in-law) to Germany. The sponsor must hold a qualifying work permit, prove income, sign a financial undertaking and arrange private health insurance for the parents. The change widens Germany’s family-reunification offer and could influence talent-retention strategies.
Berlin Brandenburg Airport Clinches Wage Deal, Averting New Strikes
Berlin Brandenburg Airport and the ver.di union have agreed a 22-month pay deal, including a 2.5 per cent salary hike from May 2026 and a further 2.2 per cent rise in 2027. The accord averts threatened strikes and gives airlines operational certainty ahead of the Pentecost rush. Mobility managers can book via BER with reduced labour-disruption risk, although disputes in other aviation segments remain possible.