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Asylum policy is complex and full of conundrums and dilemmas. That is one reason why the idea of external processing has resurfaces regularly in the European debate. It appears as a seemingly easy solution cutting the Gordian knot. More recently, the British ‘Rwanda Star’ has stirred controversies, while the ‘disembarkation platforms’, supported by the European Council in June 2018, were not realised. Somewhat surprisingly, the coalition agreement of the German government took up the idea, as…

Demographic change has become a reality in Germany. Companies are desperate to find skilled workers. That is why the government has decided to liberalise the German labour migration regime further, only three years after the entry into force of a major overhaul. In a blogpost for the Verfassungsblog, Daniel Thym discusses the substance of the first, still informal draft bill (in German). It will contain to core reform steps: a points’ system for jobseekers and a new entry channel for anyone with…

For many years, the use of the label ‘country of immigration’ has served as a rhetorical device to indicate the position of the speaker in the German public discourse. Statistics show that there is a little doubt that the informal title cannot be denied any longer. What is less clear, however, are the normative and practical consequences. Recognising that migration will continue to shape the German society does not, in itself, present a blueprint for the design of entry and integration policies.…

The German government wants to breathe life into the idea of migration and mobility partnerships with important countries of origins of asylum seekers without protection needs. The rationale is simple: incentives, including legal pathways for economic purposes, shall convince third states to cooperate in the field of return. Much will depend on how the new Special Envoy for Migration, Joachim Stamp, will approach the negotiations. Daniel Thym discusses the promises and pitfalls of such…

Evidence-based research can ideally help migration policy set realistic goals and better achieve them. For this reason, the Research Center of the (German) Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in Nuremberg supports migration policy and practice by providing state-of-the-art analyses and evaluations. An academic advisory board serves as an consultative body to optimize the strategic orientation and to approach new research projects in a targeted manner. Since the fall of 2022, Daniel…

The German government has committed itself to liberalising labour migration. According to a ‘policy paper’, migrants with a work contract and professional experience are to be admitted on the basis of a ‘experience pillar’ if they have completed professional training abroad, irrespective of whether it is equivalent with domestic standards or not. In addition, a ‘potential pillar’ will introduce a points system for jobseekers who meet a number of criteria. The Research Centre Immigration & Asylum…