Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) plans to lift the work ban for asylum seekers quickly. He told “Bild am Sonntag” that he has commissioned an “instant‑to‑work” plan.
The proposal would allow asylum seekers to begin work after only three months of stay in Germany, even if their asylum proceedings are still ongoing. Until now, applicants often experienced long waits before they could take up employment.
“Everyone who comes here should be able to work – and do so quickly” Dobrindt said. “The best way to integrate people is into the workforce. The goal is participation through activity”.
According to “Bild”, the minister’s vision does not impose a mandatory work requirement. Instead, it simply expands access to the labour market, covering both full‑time and mini‑jobs. A spokesperson for Dobrindt stressed that the new rules do not affect the process or outcome of asylum cases. Whether an applicant works or not has no bearing on the final decision about protection or rejection; the procedure proceeds independently of that.
The changes are not intended to benefit those who have already been rejected or who do not cooperate in the procedure-such as individuals who conceal their identity or misrepresent their reasons for fleeing. Working asylum seekers would, however, generally be allowed to retain their earnings; a spokesperson added that if they receive social benefits, the pay they earn would be deducted-for example, against housing costs.