https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed With net immigration to Germany falling, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt says his tough approach has delivered results. But others say that migration has slowed for other reasons, and warn that his tactics are creating new problems. https://www.thelocal.de/20260505/what-is-germanys-migration-turnaround-actually-achieving Tue, 05 May 2026 10:02:35 +0200 what-is-germanys-migration-turnaround-actually-achieving The majority of refugees who come to Germany each year come from war zones, such as from Syria around 2015 or Ukraine since 2022. So why do a number of US citizens also submit applications for asylum each year? https://www.thelocal.de/20260429/why-do-some-us-citizens-seek-asylum-in-germany Wed, 29 Apr 2026 16:21:54 +0200 why-do-some-us-citizens-seek-asylum-in-germany New figures show tens of thousands of immigrants have been blocked from enrolling in Germany’s integration courses since the start of the year when authorities quietly froze applications. https://www.thelocal.de/20260423/germany-turns-away-nearly-30000-applicants-to-integration-courses Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:26:55 +0200 germany-turns-away-nearly-30000-applicants-to-integration-courses Experts have been warning for years about Germany's shortage of skilled workers. How bad is it – and what can be expected in the long term? https://www.thelocal.de/20260421/how-bad-is-germanys-skilled-worker-shortage-in-2026 Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:29:50 +0200 how-bad-is-germanys-skilled-worker-shortage-in-2026 Long waits for appointments, burdensome bureaucracy and language barriers: applying for a residence permit can be a tricky business for foreigners in Germany. We asked readers to share their experience and their top tips. https://www.thelocal.de/20260210/you-need-patience-what-its-like-to-get-a-residence-permit-in-germany Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:26:01 +0100 you-need-patience-what-its-like-to-get-a-residence-permit-in-germany Syrian-born Yasin Alhamdo has lived in Germany since he was nine. In March, just weeks before he was due to sit his final exams to qualify as an industrial clerk, he was told he had 30 days to leave the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20260416/i-did-everything-right-syrian-student-fights-deportation-from-germany Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:43:24 +0200 i-did-everything-right-syrian-student-fights-deportation-from-germany Almost 22 million people in Germany have an immigration background. Here's what else new figures tell us about Germany's immigrant population. https://www.thelocal.de/20260414/more-than-a-quarter-of-people-in-germany-have-an-immigration-background-2 Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:15:44 +0200 more-than-a-quarter-of-people-in-germany-have-an-immigration-background-2 A growing number of deportation orders targeting skilled workers and well-integrated young Syrian men suggest that it's not only criminals who are at risk of deportation from Germany. https://www.thelocal.de/20260413/dentist-faces-removal-from-germany-ramps-up-deportations-of-syrians Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:34:07 +0200 dentist-faces-removal-from-germany-ramps-up-deportations-of-syrians Bureaucratic backlogs and rule changes on residency rights are having an increasing impact on the lives of foreigners living around Europe. Many say they have been left in legal limbo with their lives effectively on hold. https://www.thelocal.de/20260411/a-nightmare-lives-of-foreigners-across-europe-hit-by-residency-card-delays Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:53:39 +0200 a-nightmare-lives-of-foreigners-across-europe-hit-by-residency-card-delays The far-right Alternative for Germany recently tried, and failed, to significantly tighten the Naturalisation Act. With the issue once again in the spotlight, we look at how parties voted and why citizenship rules are so fiercely debated. https://www.thelocal.de/20260409/are-germanys-current-citizenship-laws-at-risk-after-far-rights-latest-bid Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:17:49 +0200 are-germanys-current-citizenship-laws-at-risk-after-far-rights-latest-bid Four years after moving to Germany for his master's degree, Saad Arshad shares his top advice on language, jobs and managing expectations for people following in his footsteps. https://www.thelocal.de/20260320/the-community-is-growing-an-immigrants-guide-to-starting-a-new-life-in-germany Fri, 20 Mar 2026 12:41:49 +0100 the-community-is-growing-an-immigrants-guide-to-starting-a-new-life-in-germany A recent report revealing that more EU citizens are leaving Germany than arriving got a huge response online. Here's what readers had to say about why some Europeans are opting out of life in the country and why others are determined to stay. https://www.thelocal.de/20260309/your-views-honestly-germany-is-not-as-bad-as-some-people-claim Mon, 09 Mar 2026 15:46:35 +0100 your-views-honestly-germany-is-not-as-bad-as-some-people-claim For the first time in 15 years, more EU citizens are leaving Germany than arriving. A new government study explains why. https://www.thelocal.de/20260304/why-are-so-many-eu-citizens-planning-to-leave-germany Wed, 04 Mar 2026 14:47:42 +0100 why-are-so-many-eu-citizens-planning-to-leave-germany As Germany restricts access to state‑funded integration courses, we spoke to one non‑profit organisation which says it is ready to step in with free language lessons for migrants looking for work in the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20260225/helping-people-succeed-the-german-non-profit-offering-free-language-lessons Wed, 25 Feb 2026 11:56:59 +0100 helping-people-succeed-the-german-non-profit-offering-free-language-lessons Germany is desperate to attract skilled nurses from other countries. Yet when a group of young Vietnamese trainees were recruited to help fill the gap, they went unpaid for months, were evicted from their homes and left fearful of deportation. https://www.thelocal.de/20260224/inhumane-how-germany-failed-a-group-of-vietnamese-nursing-trainees Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:39:15 +0100 inhumane-how-germany-failed-a-group-of-vietnamese-nursing-trainees A proposal to let asylum seekers enter the German job market sooner has been welcomed by many lawmakers and economists, but critics warn that key exemptions and recent cuts to integration courses could undermine the effort. https://www.thelocal.de/20260224/is-germany-really-planning-to-let-more-asylum-seekers-enter-the-workforce Tue, 24 Feb 2026 17:04:49 +0100 is-germany-really-planning-to-let-more-asylum-seekers-enter-the-workforce After Germany quietly decided to restrict access to integration courses, an expert explains who will be affected and why that's a problem for the whole country, not just immigrants and refugees. https://www.thelocal.de/20260218/short-sighted-cutting-access-to-integration-courses-in-germany-doesnt-make-sense Wed, 18 Feb 2026 16:23:13 +0100 short-sighted-cutting-access-to-integration-courses-in-germany-doesnt-make-sense Germany may have a reputation as a monoglot country, but step inside people's homes and a different picture emerges. New figures show that bilingual and multilingual life is an everyday reality for millions of families in the country. https://www.thelocal.de/20260220/majority-of-bilingual-people-in-germany-mostly-speak-another-language-at-home Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:06:08 +0100 majority-of-bilingual-people-in-germany-mostly-speak-another-language-at-home Germany will extend temporary border controls by a further six months, the interior ministry said Monday, calling the measures necessary in the absence of 'functional European migration policy'. https://www.thelocal.de/20260216/germany-extends-border-controls-another-six-months Mon, 16 Feb 2026 13:59:32 +0100 germany-extends-border-controls-another-six-months Germany has confirmed plans to restrict access to integration courses, citing rising costs and a desire to focus spending on migrants likely to stay long term. Around 130,000 people could be affected – and the consequences could go much further. https://www.thelocal.de/20260212/catastrophic-effects-why-germany-is-cutting-integration-courses-for-foreigners Thu, 12 Feb 2026 10:48:52 +0100 catastrophic-effects-why-germany-is-cutting-integration-courses-for-foreigners