Tip against state government
Union politicians celebrate God’s obligation to work for asylum seekers
February 29, 2024, 6:46 a.m
CDU District Administrator Herrgott hits a nerve with his party with his obligation to work for asylum seekers. There is great support for this supposed immigration restriction from both Thuringia and federal politics. The majority of asylum seekers are initially not allowed to work at all.
In the debate about compulsory work for asylum seekers, Thuringia’s CDU leader Mario Voigt defended a corresponding initiative by the Saale-Orla district in the state. “We have to send out the message: Anyone who experiences the solidarity of the community in Germany must also give something back,” said the CDU politician to the Editorial Network Germany (RND), with a view to the controversial decision of the CDU district administrator Christian Herrgott to allow asylum seekers to work for 80 cents per hour. This decision is a “sign of the necessary limitation of immigration”.
The CDU politician accused the federal government and the state government under left-wing politician Bodo Ramelow of being unable to act. “If the traffic lights in the federal government and the Ramelow government in the state do not act, we will have to go our own way where we can,” argued Voigt.
Support for the Thuringian district administrator’s decision also came from CDU general secretary Carsten Linnemann. The CDU General Secretary welcomed a possible work requirement for refugees. Linnemann told the “Bild” newspaper: “Anything that strengthens the principle of supporting and demanding is to be welcomed.” This applies “not only to recipients of citizenship benefits, but also to asylum seekers”.
Many asylum seekers are not allowed to work
Access to the German labor market is severely restricted for newly arrived refugees. According to the current legal situation, asylum seekers are generally only allowed to work after three months – those who have to live in a reception center and do not have a minor child are only allowed to work after nine months.
Tolerated people or refugees in a reception facility with a minor child are allowed to work after six months. Asylum seekers from so-called safe countries of origin who submitted their asylum application after August 2015 generally have no access to the labor market.