We use cookies to provide you with the best possible website experience. This includes cookies that are necessary for the operation of the site, as well as cookies used for anonymous statistics, comfort settings, or displaying personalized content. You can decide which categories you want to allow. Please note that depending on your settings, some features of the website may not be available.

Cookie settings

These necessary cookies are required to enable the core functionality of the website. Opting out of these cookies is not possible.

cb-enable
This cookie stores the user's cookie consent status for the current domain. Expiry: 1 year.
laravel_session
Stores the session ID to recognize the user when the page reloads and to restore their login session. Expiry: 2 hours.
XSRF-TOKEN
Provides CSRF protection for forms. Expiry: 2 hours.
IZA Discussion Paper No. 50
August 1999
Ethnic German Migration since 1989 - Results and Perspectives/ Aussiedler seit 1989 - Bilanz und Perspektiven

published in: Jahrbuch für Wirtschaftsgeschichte / Economic History Yearbook, 2000, 1, 225-237

Among all European countries, Germany absorbs by far the largest number of immigrants. But to date, the German government has yet to adopt a system that will effectively control the influx of foreigners. The immigration of Ethnic Germans from Eastern Europe, which is due to historical events and therefore constitutionally guaranteed, is a special case. It is marked by selection criteria (language tests), de facto quotas, and mobility restrictions. Although the immigration of foreigners and Ethnic Germans produces overall positive effects, the recent trend has been more problematic, especially as the economic situation in Germany deteriorated. Ethnic Germans are basically facing the same difficulties with social and economic integration as foreigners. A majority of young Ethnic Germans have no cultural or language ties to Germany. Insufficient language skills and the lack of adequate education and training often limit their labor market prospects to simple tasks and physical labor. Over the last few years, unemployment among Ethnic Germans in the workforce has increased. This study concludes that Germany needs a well-directed immigration policy in order to make the immigration process transparent and predictable. This would also lead to a better acceptance of foreigners and Ethnic Germans in society. A German immigration law could be based on the existing structures that apply to the influx of Ethnic Germans.

Communications
Mark Fallak
mark.fallak@liser.lu
+352 585-855-526
World of Labour
Olga Nottmeyer
olga.nottmeyer@liser.lu
+352 585-855-501
Network Coordination
Christina Gathmann
christina.gathmann@liser.lu

The IZA@LISER Network is a global community of scholars dedicated to excellence in labor economics and related fields, now coordinated at the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) following its transition from Bonn.

About IZA@LISER Network
Contact
IZA Network (Current Site Operator):

Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)
11, Porte des Sciences
Maison des Sciences Humaines
L-4366 Esch-sur-Alzette / Belval, Luxembourg

IZA Institute (In Liquidation):

Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH i. L.
Schaumburg-Lippe-Str. 5-9, 53113 Bonn. Germany
Phone: +49 228 3894-0 | Fax: +49 228 3894-510
E-Mail: info@iza.org | Web: www.iza.org
Represented by: Martin T. Clemens (Liquidator)