Speaking to public broadcaster ARD on 4 May, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt underscored that Germany will not dismantle its internal frontier posts even though April asylum filings dropped to their lowest level since 2021. He argued that only once the EU’s migration pact is fully implemented can checks be relaxed, and confirmed that weekly deportation flights of convicted criminals to Afghanistan will continue under direct talks with the Taliban. The comments, first reported by the DPA wire service and Spain’s Europa Press, highlight a hard-line approach that resonates with parts of the electorate but alarms humanitarian groups. BAMF statistics show 6,144 first-time asylum requests in April compared with 9,108 a year earlier; yet federal police still turned back roughly 2,300 people at the border in the same month. For global-mobility teams, the policy mix means tighter scrutiny of entry documents even when overall migration pressure is easing. Corporations relocating staff through Munich or Frankfurt airports report longer secondary inspections for family members without EU passports, and some assignees arriving by coach from Prague have been asked to show proof of German health insurance at the roadside. While the CSU-led interior ministry insists the measures are temporary, legal experts warn that continuous six-month renewals risk breaching EU proportionality standards. Companies should monitor the next notification to Brussels due in September; if Germany fails to justify the extension, the European Commission could trigger infringement proceedings, potentially forcing a sudden policy pivot and another round of compliance adjustments. In the meantime, immigration advisers recommend preparing full hard-copy files for assignees crossing land borders, including employment contracts and accommodation confirmations – documents that were rarely checked before 2025 – to minimise the risk of refusals or delays.
Source: Europa Press
