Reforms that work? The implementation of current migration and integration laws

In the area of migration and integration, many changes have been instigated in Germany in recent years. Some of these changes come with high expectations attached. New laws and regulations, for example, are intended to facilitate skilled worker immigration and the labour market integration of refugees. But how are they being implemented in practice? Have the intended effects materialised? The Expert Council on Integration and Migration (Sachverständigenrat für Integration und Migration – SVR) is now releasing an English summary of its Annual Report 2025, published on 13 May. The report examines the general structural framework conditions for implementing legislation and analyses implementation in practice using specific case studies. Based on its analysis, the SVR also offers recommendations for action.

Berlin, 30 June 2025. “In dynamic and controversial policy areas such as migration and integration policy, politicians are under considerable pressure. In recent years, laws have sometimes been changed in rapid succession. This poses a challenge for administrations, which are already at capacity, and implementation often cannot keep up with the pace of legislation,” explains SVR chairperson Professor Winfried Kluth. The SVR’s Annual Report 2025 addresses this issue through a dual approach. The first part of the report analyses the general structural framework conditions for implementing legislation, such as the legislative process and its significance, the distribution of responsibilities in Germany as a federal state and the progress of digitalisation efforts in the administration. In the second part, it looks at specific areas of practice such as the Skilled Worker Immigration Act, the Job Turbo programme and naturalisation practice following the reform of citizenship law, and asks how the regulations are being implemented, how they are working in practice and where there are still barriers to success.

Laws must be practicable and implementable. “The analysis shows one thing very clearly: speed is not everything. In order for laws to be implemented effectively, good preparation is needed that includes planning for their future implementation. We recommend a ‘practice check’ involving the administrative bodies who will have to implement the law along with the groups who will be primarily affected by it. In this way, it can be ensured that laws and regulations have the intended effect and that there are no unintended consequences or unwanted side effects,” says Professor Birgit Glorius, deputy chairperson of the SVR. “After all, official decisions have a considerable, often even an existential significance for those affected.”

Skilled worker immigration: relieve the burden on authorities by involving employers, drawing on market-based solutions and centralising responsibilities
Migration and integration policy in Germany is largely characterised by the federal distribution of responsibilities. In order to ensure transparent communication, avoid duplicated structures and simplify coordination, responsibilities can be shifted both upwards (centralisation) and downwards (decentralisation). The SVR recommends centralising responsibilities for skilled worker immigration at the federal level. For example, the Federal Agency for Foreign Affairs (BfAA) could be responsible for processing visas and residence permits. This would simplify and speed up workflows and alleviate the strain on the foreigners’ registration offices, which are currently responsible for issuing residence permits. The fact that national visa procedures have already largely been digitalised offers a good foundation for this. In addition, the SVR recommends involving employers more closely in the recognition of professional experience gained abroad, which is a new legal requirement in this area. “Businesses that have been accredited by chambers of commerce, for example, or have previously demonstrated that they are reputable employers, could take on this task,” says Professor Kluth. A division of labour between the state and the market also makes sense when it comes to the advisory infrastructure. Given the complex options involved in labour migration, targeted advice is extremely important. “However, this does not necessarily have to be provided by the state,” Professor Kluth notes. State-funded advisory services should primarily be provided to small and medium-sized companies and employees who do not have the means to purchase these services on the market.

Citizenship law: optimise procedures, revise the explanatory notes and relieve authorities through mentoring projects
The number of naturalisations in Germany has risen in recent years. This is largely due to groups from specific countries of origin, particularly Syrian nationals. At the same time, however, a large proportion of foreigners who have been living in Germany permanently – in some cases for decades – still do not apply for naturalisation. The number of naturalisations in Germany is low compared to other European countries. Against this backdrop, citizenship law was comprehensively reformed in 2024 and naturalisation was made easier in order to better exploit the potential for naturalisation. The reforms included a shorter minimum period of residence and a basic acceptance in principle of multiple citizenship. The aim is to create incentives for integration, enable equal participation and make Germany more attractive for foreign skilled workers.

Although the demand for naturalisation has increased since the reform came into force, staff shortages, a lack of digitalisation and the complex legal situation are causing a backlog in the processing of applications at the naturalisation authorities, and long waiting times for those seeking naturalisation. The SVR therefore believes that the way in which the law is implemented needs some adjustment. Work is needed to identify where responsibilities can be centralised at state level and dovetailed better with other authorities. This would also make it easier to tackle the urgently needed digitalisation of the naturalisation process.

“In order for people interested in naturalisation to actually make the decision to apply for a German passport, easily accessible information and advisory services are needed, both online and in person. The authorities are increasingly focusing on collective information events instead of individual appointments with advisers. The SVR takes a positive view of this pragmatic approach,” explains Professor Kluth. “In addition, low-threshold mentoring projects can help, which would ideally be anchored within the various communities. Some federal states have already implemented these. This relieves the burden on the authorities and can help to speed up procedures through preparing applicants in advance.”

Digitalise migration management, simplify processes and speed up procedures
“We need the courage to simplify,” says Professor Glorius. “Germany doesn’t need a constant supply of new laws, but rather, a more effective implementation of the laws that already exist. Too little has been invested in infrastructure, staffing and administrative efficiency over the years, and many authorities are overwhelmed. Digitalisation is making slow progress, workflows are overly regulated and often take too long, and there is a lack of adequately trained staff.” The aim should therefore be to reduce bureaucracy, increase digitalisation, speed up procedures, optimise federally organised structures and bundle responsibilities. In order to track the impact of laws, the SVR recommends regularly evaluating legislative projects and measures and subjecting them to an evidence-based critique.

More topics in the SVR Annual Report 2025:

• Making full use of the potential of skilled workers through the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
• Opportunity Residence Act: Using employment as a bridge to a residency ‘lane change’
• Shaping integration structures in municipalities sustainably and securing funding
• Job Turbo programme: accelerating the entry of refugees into work, which is slower in Germany than in other countries, but retaining the proven approach of making integration into the labour market sustainable through language and professional training.

The press release is available for download under this link.

You can download the SVR Annual Report Summary 2025, Core Messages and further information here.
For the German publications related to the SVR Annual Report 2025 please refer to this link.

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About the Expert Council
The Expert Council on Integration and Migration is an independent and interdisciplinary body providing research-based policy advice. Its reports aim to assist those bodies responsible for integration and migration policy, as well as the general public, in their opinion-forming processes. The interdisciplinary Expert Council comprises a total of nine researchers: Prof. Dr Winfried Kluth (Chairperson), Prof. Dr Birgit Glorius (Deputy Chairperson), Prof. Dr Havva Engin, Prof. Dr Marc Helbling, Prof. Dr Matthias Koenig, Prof. Sandra Lavenex, Ph. D., Prof. Dr Birgit Leyendecker, Prof. Panu Poutvaara, Ph. D., Prof. Dr Hannes Schammann.