German politicians demand less allowances for Ukrainian refugees and a tougher course of migration policy.
Alexander Dobrindt, leader of the regional group of the CSU, called for sending war refugees from Ukraine back to their homeland if they do not work in Germany, despite the fact that a fifth of refugees from Ukraine have jobs in Germany.
The principle must now apply more than two years after the beginning of the war: take up work in Germany or return to safe areas of western Ukraine. We require stronger obligations for asylum seekers to co-operate when it comes to employment. There should be a job offer and this should be part of the integration service.
Dobrindt’s remarks came against the recent background of several interior ministers already demanding that civilian benefits for war refugees from Ukraine cease and only provide them with reduced payments under the Asylum-Seekers’ Benefits Act (AsylbLG).
The Federal Government, for its part, has rejected the proposal. However, Dobrindt said that the payments to Ukrainian refugees originated as a necessary and quick aid at the beginning of the Ukraine-Russia conflict, but now the payments have long been a brake on the work. Far too many people from Ukraine remain stuck in the welfare system. FDP Secretary General Bijan Djir-Sarai also urged a reduction in state benefits for Ukrainians:
Newly arriving war refugees from Ukraine should no longer receive civilian benefits in the future, but should instead be subject to the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act. (…) We have labour shortages everywhere – for example in catering, construction or care work. We should no longer use taxpayers’ money to finance unemployment, but should ensure that people have jobs.
In addition, Berlin’s policy on incoming refugees also drew criticism, with the key obstacles for Ukrainian refugees to start working life being the absence of childcare, lack of language skills and long recognition of professional qualifications, according to SPD labour market politician Martin Rosemann in Bild am Sonntag.
Last autumn, the Federal Government announced the Job-Turbo initiative to allow refugees with the prospect of staying in the country to find work more quickly. Federal Labour Minister Hubertus Heil said about 400,000 refugees would be employed directly after the language courses, including about 200,000 from Ukraine.
