Germany’s interior ministry has published a draft law aimed at making it easier to grant citizenship as Berlin tries to boost migration and open up the labor market in Europe’s biggest economy, Reuters reported.

The project offers the possibility of multiple citizenships and reduces the years of residence required before naturalization to five or three years, compared to eight years previously.

German language requirements for citizenship will also be less stringent for members of the so-called “guest worker” generation, many of whom are Turks who came to Germany in the 1950s and 1960s as migrant workers.

“We want the people who have become part of our society to be able to contribute to the democratic formation of our country,” said Interior Secretary Nancy Feiser, adding that examples from countries such as Canada show that this perspective is crucial importance for attracting qualified personnel. workers that Germany needs.

Last year, the German government agreed plans to reform immigration laws as Berlin tries to open up the labor market to workers from outside the European Union, needed to fill hundreds of thousands of vacant jobs in sectors such as gastronomy and childcare, IT and renewable energy. energy

At the end of 2021, there were approximately 72.4 million people with German citizenship and 10.7 million with foreign citizenship living in Germany, of which 5.7 million had been in Germany for at least 10 years.

However, the bill is contested by both the ruling coalition and the opposition conservative party, which say the legislation could encourage illegal migration while removing incentives for migrants to fully integrate into German society.

The draft says that anyone who wants to naturalize in Germany must adhere to the values ​​of a free society, which include the dignity and equality of all people. “Anyone who does not share these values ​​or even acts contrary to them cannot become a German citizen,” the project states. (News.ro)