Germany to adopt integration law for refugees

Berlin, (IINA) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition partners agreed on Thursday to adopt a new law to facilitate the integration of refugees into society and the labor market, Anadolu Agency reported.
Merkel hailed agreement on the essential elements of the “integration law” as a significant step forward in addressing the problems faced by more than one million refugees Germany accepted last year.
“For the first time in the history of Germany, we will adopt a federal law on integration; that is a qualitative improvement”, Merkel told a news conference in Berlin.
Merkel said the new law, which the government intends to finalize by May 24, would improve language and vocational education courses for refugees and would create new job opportunities.
She stressed that the law would be based on the principle of “making demands and providing support”, it will list obligations for migrants such as participating in language and integration courses, while improving their conditions.
According to a six-page document hammered out among Merkel’s coalition partners on Wednesday night, the integration law will make it easier for firms to hire migrants if they are recognized as refugees seeking international protection.
Government funds will be used to create 100,000 additional jobs, and migrants who do not take part in integration or language courses would see cuts to their welfare benefits.
The planned law will make it easier for migrants who successfully integrate to get a long-term residence permit. 
Merkel’s coalition partner – the Social Democratic Party (SPD) – also welcomed the agreement as a “historic step”.
SPD chairman Sigmar Gabriel said the new law does not intend assimilation but aims at having migrants well-integrated into Germany.
“Whoever wants to be part of us, will have better opportunities to make his or her contribution to society,” he said, adding that well-integrated migrants will also have a chance in future to gain German citizenship.
Germany is shouldering the largest part of Europe’s refugee crisis, with taking in a record 1.1 million refugees in 2015. Syrians were the largest group with 428,000, followed by 154,000 Afghans and 121,000 Iraqis.
AG/IINA

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