Evaluation of the Law and the Ordinance on the Further Development of Skilled Labour Immigration

- Survey is conducted by: The evaluation project is a cooperation between the BAMF Research Centre and the Institute for Employment Research (IAB)

Purpose of the Survey:

With the Law on the Further Development of Skilled Labour Immigration (FEG 2.0), which has been gradually coming into force since 18 November 2023, the Federal Government has significantly expanded the legal framework for immigration from third countries.
However, there is as yet no survey data providing systematic information on the plans, motivation, visa experiences and initial integration steps of labour migrants who have recently immigrated.

The aim is to gain insights into

- the working and living situations of the respondents, as well as
- their intentions to stay or return.
The survey results thus provide an evidence-based foundation to the policymakers, public authorities and researchers for the further development of skilled labour strategies and integration offers.

Who are included in the survey?

Recently immigrated holders of selected work and education visas (including the Opportunity Card, EU Blue Card, skilled worker and IT visas)
Immigrants living in Germany since 2024 for employment and employment-related educational purposes
Potential participants were selected at random and contacted in writing. Participation is voluntary. Unfortunately, it is not possible for other interested migrants to participate.

Main Topics to be analysed:

Four main topics are analysed as part of the evaluation

Effects of migration: Does the new legislation leads to an increase in labour migration from third countries and how does it affect overall labour and education migration to Germany? What are the effects on the structure of migration?
Administrative implementation: What challenges exist in the administrative implementation of the current legal regulations, both from an institutional perspective and from the point of view of migrants?
Integration: How are the foreign specialists and workers who make use of the new legal regulations integrated into the German labour market?
Abuse: Are there signs of abuse of the regulations? Are there risks for the welfare state?