Government deliberates over migration and proposed rental reforms - Government deliberates on migration and rental price adjustments
In a significant move, the German Federal Government has announced plans to tighten its immigration laws and revise naturalization processes, as well as address social policies such as the rent brake. These decisions were made in recent cabinet meetings and were reflected in various sources around May 2025.
To reduce asylum applications, which saw a modest decline from 352,000 in 2023 to about 250,000 in 2024, the government has approved a bill aimed at tightening immigration laws. Chancellor Friedrich Merz's government has also ordered police to refuse entry to most people seeking asylum immediately. The coalition agreement, signed in early May 2025, also includes a plan to curb illegal migration.
In terms of naturalization, the three-year fast-track citizenship option for well-integrated migrants will be ended, with citizenship now requiring a longer integration process. This shift reflects a more stringent approach to integration before granting citizenship. The government is also planning to streamline and promote skilled worker migration to address labor shortages by establishing a “Work and Stay Agency.”
Family reunification for refugees without recognized asylum status, such as those with subsidiary protection, is to be temporarily suspended for two years. This decision may indicate a stricter approach to refugees and potentially limit family reunification. However, some limited allowances are being considered, such as permitting Syrian refugees to visit their home country temporarily without losing protection status.
Regarding the rent brake, while specific decisions were not detailed in the immediate search results, the government's broader social policy context includes efforts to control illegal migration alongside promoting skilled labor migration. Social policies like the rent brake may be maintained or adjusted to manage economic impacts from migration flows and housing demand.
Overall, the German Federal Government's recent decisions indicate a restrictive stance on asylum seekers and refugees without formal status, potentially limiting family reunification. While social policies such as the rent brake remain important, concrete new proposals addressing it were not explicitly identified in recent cabinet discussions.
- The German Federal Government's announcements to tighten immigration laws and revise naturalization processes, as well as changes in employment policy, particularly the proposed "Work and Stay Agency" for skilled worker migration, are indicative of a broader strategy to address both labor shortages and illegal migration.
- The suspension of family reunification for refugees without recognized asylum status, such as those with subsidiary protection, and the ending of the three-year fast-track citizenship option for well-integrated migrants, reflect a more stringent approach to immigration policy, particularly for asylum seekers and refugees, in the EC countries, contrary to the policies focused on policy-and-legislation, general news, and politics around these topics since May 2025.
