German govt approves legislation liberalizing employment of refugees, including Ukrainians

MOSCOW. Nov 2 (Interfax) - The German government approved amendments to national laws regulating the presence of foreigners in the country on Wednesday, November 1, which should make it easier for individuals applying for asylum or whose deportation has been deferred to be legally employed, Ukrainian media reported with reference to German press reports.

The legislation stipulates that individuals whose deportation from Germany has been deferred would be entitled to receive a work permit. It would also reduce the time during which refugees staying at primary immigration centers cannot be employed to six from nine months.

The package of legislative amendments making it easier for refugees to have access to the labor market also addresses the employment of Ukrainians who have arrived in Germany after the start of the crisis, the reports said.

In particular, the government has proposed steps to facilitate the integration of dozens of thousands of Ukrainians on the labor market by easing language requirements and offering them additional training.

The latest available information shows that 52% of more than one million Ukrainians who have entered Germany are employable, and 196,700 of them have jobs, although 42,000 of these are employed at jobs that are not subject to social security deductions.