Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

IMMIGRATION

How one German immigration office plans to tackle long waiting times

For years, the Darmstadt Immigration Office or Ausländerbehörde has been criticised for poor accessibility and chaotic conditions. Last week, the city’s mayor presented a new plan that could finally solve the problem. What could other cities learn?

Published: 25 July 2022 15:51 CEST
A staff member at a Hamburg immigration office helps a member of the public.
A staff member at a Hamburg immigration office helps a member of the public. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jonas Walzberg

The city of Darmstadt near Frankfurt in southwest Germany is home to three universities and around 35,000 international residents. In fact, national statistics from 2020 show that internationals make up 20,5 percent of the population in the city.

It’s little wonder then, that problems with the Ausländerbehörder (the international immigration offices) have been widely reported as negatively impacting lots of foreign residents in the city. 

Determined to combat the issues once and for all, last week the city’s Mayor, Jochen Partsch (Greens) presented a new concept for restructuring the service.

What are the problems?

Darmstadt’s immigration office has had a bad reputation for years, due to long waiting times, and problems getting hold of staff or arranging appointments. According to local immigration lawyers, the processing of applications for naturalization currently takes around two years.

READ ALSO: ‘Nothing is easy’: How foreigners struggle to get settled in Germany

There have been numerous reports of foreign residents being unable to renew expired residence permits due to the impossibility of getting hold of the authorities. A report by the German regional news site Hessenschau.de from February included an account of a student calling over 80 times, even during office hours, and never getting a response.

Immigration and asylum lawyer, Sonja Plückebaum, who is based in Darmstadt, said: “We have clients who have lost their apprenticeship or job because they did not get their residence permit extended in time.” Major problems also often arise when people are looking for an apartment or signing a mobile phone contract.

What’s causing the problems?

City officials have claimed that the problems with the immigration office ultimately come down to staffing and workload.

For some time now, there has been a high level of staff turnover and an above-average level of sick leave among employees at the immigration office.

The city’s former Mayor, Rafael Reißer, said earlier in the year that the loss of experienced workers had led to a “continuous reduction” in expertise, while, at the same time, work had piled up. New employees in particular were plagued by “self-doubt and insecurity” due to the “daily pressure to perform,” which in most cases led to them resigning.

READ ALSO: Germany ranked as ‘worst country in the world’ for expat needs

These issues have been exacerbated by the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. 

An application for a residence permit lies on a desk at the Foreigners' Registration Office in Baden-Württemberg.

An application for a residence permit lies on a desk at the Foreigners’ Registration Office in Baden-Württemberg. Photo: picture alliance / dpa | Wolfram Kastl

What are the new plans?

The first step will be to set up a service team to coordinate the allocation of appointments and be the first point of contact for all issues, to help tackle the problems with reaching staff at the immigration office.

New specialised teams will be put together, which will deal with specific areas affecting foreign residents, such as education, employment and resident rights. 

The electronic filing system in the immigration office is also being fast-tracked and should be operational by the autumn, which will help speed up workflows.

The city also announced 12 new full-time positions to be filled as soon as possible.

The new organisation will also help reduce the workload for individual employees, he said: “All the measures taken now will add up to ensure that people will once again receive the comprehensive service they deserve.”

READ ALSO: Berlin to revolutionise immigration office ‘experience’

Useful vocabulary:

immigration office – (die) Ausländerbehörde

residence permit – (die) Aufenthaltserlaubnis

waiting time – (die) Wartezeit

to reach someone by phone – jemanden telefonisch erreichen

We’re aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating vocabulary from some of our news stories. Did you find this article useful? Let us know.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

WORK PERMITS

How Germany’s ‘opportunity card’ will allow easier entry for foreign workers from June

Germany is in dire need of skilled workers. A new form of work permit launching soon will provide another route for qualified foreign nationals to come to Germany.

Published: 23 May 2024 15:36 CEST
How Germany's 'opportunity card' will allow easier entry for foreign workers from June

Starting June 1st, non-EU citizens will be allowed to come to Germany to look for a job for one year with the Chancenkarte, or Opportunity Card. 

The Chancenkarte is intended to make it easier for foreign skilled workers to immigrate to Germany and find employment.

Originally announced in 2022, the opportunity card comes as one of several immigration policy changes that the traffic-light coalition government has dreamed up to try to attract badly needed young workers. 

Another major immigration policy change came in the form of Germany’s new rules for naturalisation, which will come into effect on June 27th.

With its ageing population, Germany is estimated to need at least 400,000 new skilled workers each year to fill its growing shortage.

READ ALSO: Better childcare to quicker visas – How Germany wants to attract more workers

What is allowed with a Chancenkarte?

Germany’s new Opportunity Card essentially works like a temporary visa or work permit, but with some specific limitations.

Namely, it allows foreign nationals to enter and reside in the Bundesrepublik for up to one year.

Opportunity Card holders are also permitted to work part-time jobs (up to 20 hours per week), or to take on two-week trial work. 

The idea here being that companies that need specific roles filled can hire foreign workers for part-time roles from abroad more easily – assisting their entry into Germany via the Opportunity Card. 

Alternatively, skilled workers can come to Germany to seek employment, and are then free to start work at a part-time level or on a short-term trial.

READ ALSO: Germany ranked fifth most popular destination for foreign workers

Should opportunity card holders want to work full-time, they can then apply for longer-term residency. In this case, being an Opportunity Card holder with a job offer makes one a prime candidate for a residence permit.

Who qualifies for the Chancenkarte?

The most basic requirement for a Chancenkarte is having completed at least two years of vocational training, or having a university degree from your country of origin that is relevant to your vocation, as well as language skills in German or English. 

You also need to prove that you are financially secure – having enough money to finance your stay in Germany. This would amount to a little over €12,000 for the year, or it can otherwise be proven by means of an employment contract, if you already have a job offer

Provided you meet the basic requirements, your language skills, professional experience, age and connection to Germany will also be considered.

PODCAST: What is Germany’s planned points-based visa?

These factors are measured with a points-based system. Successful applicants will need to achieve at least six points according to the following qualifications:

  • 4 points are given if your foreign professional qualification is recognised in Germany, or if you have permission to practise a regulated profession (e.g. educator, nurse or engineer). Note that very few applicants meet these criteria.
  • 3 points:
    • If you have five years of professional experience in your field (within the last seven years). 
    • For B2 level German language skills.
  • 2 points:
    • If you have two years of professional experience with previous vocational training (within the last five years). 
    • If you are not older than 35 at the time your application is submitted. 
    • For B1 German language skills.
  • 1 point:
    • If you are not older than 40 at the time your application is submitted.
    • If you previously stayed in Germany for at least six months (excluding tourist stays). 
    • For C1 English language skills.
    • For A2 German language skills. 
    • If you are trained in a ‘bottleneck occupation’ (meaning an occupation where there is a shortage of workers in Germany).
    • If you apply for the opportunity together with a spouse.

You can find more information on this website, including a questionnaire to see if you are qualified.

You can apply for the Opportunity Card with the German Consulate in your country, or at your local Foreigners’ Registration Office (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany.

READ ALSO: What happens to your work permit if you lose your job in Germany?

SHOW COMMENTS