Berlin’s Reichstag saw the opening salvo of one of the most far-reaching overhauls of Germany’s migration framework in decades on Wednesday, 29 July 2026. During its 237th plenary sitting, lawmakers held a first reading of the draft “Immigration Act” (Einwanderungsgesetz), tabled by the governing coalition and backed in principle by most opposition parties. Although Germany has had dozens of individual statutes governing asylum, labour migration, family reunification and EU free movement, it has never possessed a single, integrated immigration code. The new bill aims to bundle more than 50 separate provisions into a coherent, user-friendly body of law and to introduce modern, points-based admission channels for skilled workers, entrepreneurs and graduates. The draft sets out three pillars: a talent-oriented points system modelled on Canada’s Express Entry; the expansion of the EU Blue Card scheme with lower salary thresholds; and a new “Opportunity Card” allowing qualified third-country nationals to enter Germany for up to one year to search for work. Crucially for employers, the Act promises fully digital visa processing by 2028 and a statutory 60-day maximum for work-permit decisions. Family-reunification rules would be simplified, and recognised refugees who complete vocational training in shortage occupations could transition directly into permanent residence. Debate in the chamber reflected Germany’s acute demographic crunch. Federal Employment Agency data show that the working-age population will contract by 3.2 million by 2030 unless net immigration rises to at least 400,000 people a year. Business associations welcomed the bill, arguing that chronic labour shortages in IT, healthcare and the skilled trades are already costing the economy an estimated €86 billion in unrealised output annually. Opposition speakers nevertheless warned of overstretched municipalities and called for stronger language-learning obligations. For global mobility managers, the legislation—if adopted in its current form—would dramatically simplify the hiring, secondment and long-term retention of non-EU talent. Human-resource departments should begin mapping job profiles against the proposed points grid and review internal relocation policies for faster onboarding. Companies using “outside-in” recruitment pipelines will benefit from the Opportunity Card’s in-country job-search option, but they will also need compliance procedures for the stipulated integration courses and social-security enrolment deadlines. The bill now moves to the Committee on Internal Affairs for detailed examination, with a second and third reading expected after the summer recess. The Interior Ministry hopes the new Immigration Act can enter into force on 1 January 2027—just in time for Germany’s presidency of the G7, where labour-mobility reform is set to feature prominently.
Source: Deutscher Bundestag
