CDU on migration and integration

The CDU considers needs-based immigration of international skilled workers necessary because, in its view, the regional labor market can no longer cover shortages in many sectors. The skilled worker agency DeFa, based in the Saarland, should therefore also serve other shortage occupations.

The Saarland lacks skilled workers in many jobs. So the CDU wants to bring skilled workers from abroad. An agency in the Saarland already helps with care jobs. It should help with other jobs too.

The "Deutsche Fachkräfteagentur für Gesundheits- und Pflegeberufe" (DeFa, German agency for skilled workers in health and care professions) is a federal body based in the Saarland. It supports private recruitment agencies by processing recruitment procedures quickly. The CDU sees it as a model and wants to extend its services to shortage occupations beyond health and care.

The CDU affirms the fundamental right to asylum but calls for clear rules on migration. Serious criminals and persons considered a security threat are to be deported consistently. For well-integrated people facing deportation, it calls for differentiated rules.

The CDU says: The right to asylum stays. But immigration needs clear rules. Serious criminals and dangerous persons should have to leave the country. For well-integrated people, there should be other solutions.

The rules are to apply to skilled-worker immigration as well as to taking in people seeking protection. In the CDU's view, those who fight the state and its democratic order lose their claim to protection. Deportations must comply with current asylum law. The platform says that returning well-integrated people would run counter to the social purpose of deportations.

The CDU wants to evaluate the state's migration program and improve administrative procedures together with the organizations that do integration work. It combines a right to participation and integration services with expectations of immigrants.

The CDU sees immigration as a gain for the state. One reason is the lack of skilled workers. Immigrants should have equal chances. But they should also respect the rules of democracy. The CDU wants to review the state's migration program.

According to the platform, foreign residents are entitled to equal participation and suitable integration services. In return, the CDU expects respect for the free democratic basic order and a minimum willingness to integrate. It describes immigration as fundamentally a cultural and social enrichment. It rejects discrimination and hatred.

The CDU wants to recruit more skilled workers from abroad for medicine and nursing and expand integration services for them. A new funding program called "Kommunikation und Sprachverstehen" (communication and language comprehension) is meant to reduce language barriers.

Saarland lacks doctors and care workers. The CDU wants to bring in more skilled people from other countries. They should get help settling in. A new program should help them learn German.

The basis is the Deutsche Fachkräfteagentur für Gesundheits- und Pflegeberufe (DeFa, German agency for skilled workers in health and care), which the state government set up and which the CDU says stands for fair and sustainable recruitment. The language program is aimed at academic and non-academic professionals trained abroad. The party justifies it with the quality of patient care and points to the efforts several hospitals have already made.

The CDU wants to keep borders within Europe open and ties this to effective protection of the EU's external borders. It sides with the countries on the external borders and favors joint European solutions in migration policy.

The CDU wants open borders between countries in Europe. For that, the borders at the edge of the EU should be well protected. The CDU wants to help the countries at the edge of the EU. People at the border should be treated with dignity. Europe should solve migration questions together.

According to the platform, the border closures during the pandemic showed that closed borders are out of date. The CDU wants to support border protection efforts as long as humane conditions are maintained. Europe should not let itself be divided when migration is deliberately used as a means of pressure. The platform rejects countries going it alone on migration policy.