Travel
Germany’s new visa aims to attract foreign workers. When will it be launched and who is eligible?
This week, Germany will pass immigration reforms to attract skilled non EU workers.
Germany is about to pass a new law that will make it easier to move skilled workers from outside of the EU into the country.
The German cabinet approved plans for attracting tourists. Foreign workers with skills Last year, the government introduced draft legislation to combat labor shortages.
The German coalition government announced on Monday (19th June) that the law would be passed in this week.
It is expected that the plans to modernise immigration laws will make it easier for foreign nationals to work. Germany. It could increase the number non-EU workers by 60,000 each year in Germany.
The reforms to the Skilled Immigration Act Workers with non-academic, vocational training are given special attention. Existing rules for professionals with university degrees who are qualified will also be relaxed.
Why has Germany changed its immigration policy?
Like many countries in Europe Germany There is a shortage of qualified workers.
The Institute for Employment Research found 1,74 million vacancies in Germany.
In July of last year, Staff shortages The IFO research institute in Munich found that almost half of the companies surveyed had to slow their operations.
It hopes to fill the gap with qualified professionals outside of the EU. The country’s immigration is currently slowed by red tape.
Annalena Bärbock, Federal Foreign Ministry, said that modernizing the visa process meant “turning it upside-down” at a press event held on 17 January 2023 at the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs.
Together with FederalChancellor Olaf Scholz she stressed the removal of bureaucracy, improving digitisation and efficiency in the system.
“We know we can only ensure our future, our economy’s efficiency and our social security system’s efficiency if we have a sufficient number of skilled workers available,” said Scholz.
“From within the European Union, that’s not difficult because there is Freedom of movement. “It is a bigger challenge for the rest of the planet,” he said.
How does Germany plan on attracting skilled foreign workers?
Germany hopes to combat its shortages of skilled workers by introducing a new “opportunity cards”.
The ‘chancenkarte,’ will use a point system to allow workers with the required skills to come and work in Germany More easily.
It is part a strategy proposed to the country by Minister of Labour Hubertus Heil. Shortages This program is for people who have not yet signed a contract to work in Germany.
The points-based system will consider qualifications, experience, age and German Languages Skills and ties with Germany
Each year, quotas are set based on the industries that need workers. To be eligible for the scheme, you must meet three out of four criteria:
- You can get a degree or a vocational training
- Three years of professional experience
- Language skills or previous experience in Germany
- 35 years of age or younger
Most non-EU citizens must have a job before they can move to Germany. A visa The ‘chancenkarte’ is expected to make the process of finding a job easier and quicker for people who are looking for work. Work In Germany.
Visa-free entry is already available to certain countries. Germany For 90 days, you can work without a visa but only for a short time.
The opportunity card allows people to look for a job, or an apprenticeship, while they are in the country instead of applying from abroad You can also find out more about the other countries by clicking here.. The applicant must be able prove that they can pay for their living expenses during the interim period.
Details of the scheme have yet to be finalised. The chancenkarte will not be available until 2023 at the earliest.
What are the main changes in Germany’s immigration policy?
First, the new system makes it easier for those with professional experience to come and work in the UK. Work In Germany.
Second, Germany will be more open to accepting job experience and professional qualification that are recognized in the workers’ home countries. Currently, Germany is very strict about what qualifications it accepts.
Thirdly, those without a job will find it easier to look for work in Germany using the opportunity card.
Job seekers with a degree or vocational certificate will be allowed to stay for an additional year in the country while they search for employment. Workplaces. They can work up to 20 hour per week while looking for a full-time job.
The rules will also be loosened for those who have a job offer or a diploma that is recognized. Salary thresholds are being lowered. It will also be easier for workers and their families to move to Germany.
Which industries are most affected by the staff shortage in Germany?
Germany is looking for skilled craftspeople, electricians, IT specialists, caregivers, nurses, catering, and hospitality professionals.
The service sector, especially the Accommodation The event industry is a growing sector.
The next highest sectors are warehousing, storage, service providers and manufacturing, particularly in the food, metal, machinery, and data processing equipment sectors. Retail businesses, construction firms and wholesalers also reported staff shortages. Shortages.
IT specialists with relevant work experience will receive EU Blue Cards DW, a German news channel, says that people can still be hired even if they don’t have a degree.
On the government’s website, physicians and scientists are also listed as in-demand occupations. Metallurgy workers, builders and other construction workers are in short supply.
The pharmaceutical and chemical industry has the lowest shortages of skilled workers. The pharmaceutical and chemical industries report the lowest shortage of skilled workers. The mechanical engineering sector also suffers less than other sectors.
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By Euronews Travel
Published on
Norway is set to become the latest European destination to introduce a tourist tax to combat concerns about rising visitor numbers.
Lawmakers approved the new levy on Thursday, which allows municipalities to introduce a 3 per cent tax on overnight stays in “areas particularly affected by tourism”.
The law allows local authorities to apply the tax at their own discretion, and it will be added to accommodation charges. Authorities will also be allowed to adjust the percentage based on the season.
The funds raised by the tax will be used exclusively to improve tourism infrastructure projects that benefit both visitors and local people. Municipalities will have to demonstrate that their facilities are inadequate and have their plans approved by the government to spend the funds.
Cecilie Myrseth, Norway’s minister of trade and industry, said on social media that her government had reached a “historic agreement” to introduce a tourism tax that was “in line with what they have in the rest of Europe”.
The country is the latest in a string of European nations introducing or increasing visitor levies to tackle the growing problem of overtourism. A tax may also be applied to cruise ships that make stops in the country, particularly in areas that are most affected by overtourism.
Norway is experiencing a tourism boom
As tourists increasingly choose cooler, northern European destinations to get away from the heat, Norway has experienced a boom in visitor numbers.
Last year, a record-breaking 38.6 million people booked accommodation in the country. That includes more than 12 million overnight stays by foreign tourists – a 4.2 per cent increase from 2023.
Some previously quiet destinations have been overwhelmed, like the Lofoten islands, where eye-catching images of hiking trails posted on social media have led to an influx of visitors. With a population of 24,500 people distributed across several small towns and villages, keeping up with the cost of all these new visitors has been hard.
A recent survey by industry organisation Norwegian Tourism Partners found that 77 per cent of people in Tromsø, in northern Norway above the Arctic Circle, thought there were too many tourists there. Visitors have been drawn by the Northern Lights, wildlife excursions, Sami cultural experiences and what the city itself has to offer.
The increase in tourism has caused tension with local residents across Norway as infrastructure has struggled to keep up with the boom. Facilities like public toilets and car parks have been overwhelmed in popular destinations.
Some residents have even reported cases of people using their back gardens as toilets, and bemoaned the increased traffic clogging up Norway’s roads.
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As millions of holidaymakers prepare to head to the Canary Islands this summer, authorities have issued a wildfire pre-alert across the archipelago.
The warning, announced by the General Directorate of Emergencies on Sunday, applies to tourist hotspots El Hierro, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife and Gran Canaria.
It comes as the islands enter a high-risk fire period following the wet season, as hot, dry winds known as the ‘calima’ begin blowing in from the Sahara Desert.
Fires are common, but they haven’t slowed tourism
The risk of wildfire is nothing new for the Canary Islands.
The volcanic terrain, Mediterranean climate and fire-adapted vegetation – plants that have evolved to thrive in fire-prone environments – make them susceptible to summer blazes, and scientists say wildfires are part of the archipelago’s ecological rhythm.
Some of the worst occurred in 2023, when forest fires ravaged Tenerife, destroying more than 15,000 hectares of land and forcing 12,000 people to evacuate. The blaze was later found to have been started by arsonists.
This year, officials are urging tourists and locals alike to take extreme caution, warning against launching fireworks near forests and discarding cigarettes on dry ground.
But even as the fire warnings roll in, the Canaries’ appeal shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2024, the islands welcomed nearly 18 million tourists, including a record-breaking 15.5 million international arrivals. Among them, British travellers led the way, recording 6.3 million visits – up 500,000 from 2023.
Concerns about overtourism mount amid record arrivals
While the Canary Islands continue to attract record numbers of tourists, residents are increasingly voicing concerns about overtourism.
In April 2024, tens of thousands of islanders participated in protests, holding signs that read “the Canary Islands have a limit” while rallying against rising housing costs, environmental damage and the strain on public services.
Over Easter this year, about 80,000 hospitality workers in Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierrowalked out in a dispute with unions over pay.
The surge in short-term rentals has been especially contentious. Locals have reported getting priced out of their neighbourhoods as properties are converted into holiday lets, the cost of living soars and wages stagnate.
Despite these concerns, tourism remains a significant part of the Canary Islands’ economy, accounting for approximately 35 per cent of its GDP.
Tenerife still reigns supreme
After welcoming seven million tourists in 2024, Tenerife remains the most visited island.
Its year-round sunshine and wide beaches keep it a firm favourite among families, especially during the UK’s summer school break and throughout the winter months.
As the peak summer season picks up, local tourism boards have made no indication that the fire pre-alerts will disrupt travel plans.
But authorities remain focused on prevention this year.
More than 2,000 firefighters are on standby. Meanwhile, the government has distributed detailed safety advice, urging people to prepare a go-bag, stay informed and follow emergency evacuation or shelter-in-place instructions if fires erupt.
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Travel
Violent turbulence hits Ryanair flight in Germany, forcing an emergency landing and injuring 9
By Euronews Travel with AP
Published on
Severe storms in southern Germany forced a Ryanair flight to make an emergency landing late Wednesday after violent turbulence injured nine people on board, German police said in a statement Thursday.
The flight, travelling from Berlin to Milan with 179 passengers and six crew members, encountered turbulence so intense around 8:30 pm that the pilot was forced to make an unscheduled landing at Memmingen Airport in Bavaria.
Eight passengers and one crew member were hurt.
Three people were taken to the hospital in Memmingen for treatment; the other injured people were released after receiving outpatient treatment. As a precaution, all passengers were checked for injuries by the emergency services.
Authorities did not permit the plane to continue flying, and the airline arranged bus transport for passengers. Milan is about 380 kilometres south of Memmingen.
More bad weather expected in Germany
Elsewhere in the region, storms damaged several homes in Ulm, Baden-Württmberg, according to the German news agency dpa.
In the Donaustetten district, strong winds tore roofs off multiple row houses, rendering them uninhabitable, though no injuries were reported. Fire officials suspect a small tornado or waterspout caused the damage. The German Weather Service (DWD) is investigating, according to dpa.
Storm-related emergency calls also came from other areas in southern Germany, where damage was mostly limited to fallen trees and flooded basements.
The DWD warned of further storms on Thursday, 5 June, with hail, strong winds, and localised heavy rain expected.
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