In a move towards fostering inclusivity and attracting international talent, Germany’s Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser recently presented a draft to modernize Germany’s nationality law. The proposed reform is poised to position Germany as an even more enticing destination for skilled workers. 

Attracting the Best Minds

The central aim of the modernization is to create an environment where the best minds can seamlessly integrate into German society, enjoying full democratic rights.

This vision extends to green technicians, acknowledging their pivotal role in driving the nation’s progress towards sustainability. The draft, having been presented, will now undergo scrutiny in the Bundestag.

If Parliament endorses the proposed changes, the modernized nationality law could come into force as early as January–although this depends on when the second and third readings occur.

The expedited timeline aligns with the urgency expressed by Minister Faeser in making Germany an attractive and accessible destination for global talent.

Shorter deadlines for naturalization

With the new law, naturalization in Germany should be possible after five years instead of the current eight. For special integration services, the deadline should even be reduced to three years.

The prerequisite for naturalization remains proof of integration and knowledge of German. In addition, you usually have to cover your own living expenses and those of dependent family members yourself. Excluded from this are, among others, people who came to the Federal Republic as so-called guest workers or contract workers.

In the future, all children born in Germany to foreign parents should receive German citizenship without reservation and be able to retain the citizenship of their parents if at least one parent has lived legally in Germany for more than five years and has a permanent right of residence.

According to the Interior Ministry, around 14 percent of the population in Germany currently does not have a German passport. That’s just over twelve million people. Of these, around 5.3 million people have lived in Germany for at least ten years.