Deportation despite training: asylum law in crisis!

Deportation despite training: asylum law in crisis!

There is a clear contradiction in the current discussion about the integration of asylum seekers into the labor market. The coalition agreement between the Greens and the CDU promised tolerated people the right to stay, while a tragic case of a Kurdish high school graduate from northern Iraq in Esslingen raises the question of how serious these promises actually are. Although the young man successfully completed training, he was deported due to a fake ID card from 2018, which the immigration authorities in Stuttgart cite as the main reason for the deportation. The Ministry of Justice would do well to strengthen the information and advisory activities of the immigration authorities in order to avoid such misunderstandings in the future, according to a report by Government Gazette.

Current differences in numbers make it clear how different the situation is. In the first seven months of 2025, around 6,900 asylum seekers were registered in Germany. In comparison, there were 22,000 asylum seekers in the entire year of 2024 and even 36,000 in 2023. It can also be observed that voluntary departures have affected almost 3,900 people since July 2024, while 3,500 deportations took place. The Ministry of Justice insists that existing departure obligations must be enforced to maintain the acceptance of the asylum system.

Regulations for access to the labor market

Another point that often comes up in the discussion about access to the labor market for refugees is the legal requirements. Asylum seekers are generally allowed to work outside of reception centers after three months, while tolerated persons have to wait six months, provided there are no imminent measures to end their stay. Information on this can be found on the website of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), which provides an overview of the responsible foreign authorities bmas.de.

It should be particularly emphasized that those entitled to asylum and quota refugees have unrestricted access to the labor market, while the employment conditions for tolerated persons who have violated their obligation to cooperate or who come from safe countries of origin are severely restricted. A feeling of insecurity often remains, because even after a positive asylum decision there can still be a reserved attitude towards asylum seekers.

Shortage of skilled workers and the need for integration

The IHK Baden-Württemberg warns urgently about the future challenges on the labor market. By 2035, around 1.64 million workers will retire, which means that around 1.7 million jobs will have to be filled in order not to endanger the region's growth potential. There are currently around 175,000 unfilled positions and it is clear that the integration of migrants is needed more than ever. Around 80,000 work visas have already been issued in the first half of 2024. In addition, the positive trend in the labor market integration of migrants shows an employment rate of 70 percent and an increasing number of qualified jobs.

The new state agency for the immigration of skilled workers in Baden-Württemberg, which has been active for six months, has already achieved success. Of around 1,100 applications, 450 entries were pre-approved. Although these developments are encouraging, it remains to be seen how the legal requirements and the reality in the integration of asylum seekers and tolerated persons can continue to be kept in balance. Ultimately, integration must not only be on paper, but must also be lived in practice.