For a number of years, Australia has operated a points-based system for immigration and visas. No one just walks or flies into Australia. Even for an American coming for a two-week stay.....you apply for a tourist visa and they review your record (it typically takes less than 30 minutes). The majority of Australians will say that the system works.
Over the past couple of months in the UK....there's been talk of taking the points-based system and applying it there. The EU folks aren't happy about that (particularly the Germans).
So the question ought to be asked....what is the points-based immigration program, and how would it work in Germany, if applied?
First, you'd have to have a complete change-over in the Bundestag and throw out the combination of the CDU and SPD members....to get a group in, which would agree to revamping the Basic Law (the German Constitution) angle on freedom of asylum and immigration review. Today, anyone who shows up and just demands a review.....is guaranteed the right to a review. Even if it takes eight months.....the Germans house, shelter and feed the waiting folks until the point where they say yes or no. With the pro-immigration players in the middle.....it's hard to turn down a guy. So you'd have to toss the immigration 'right' out and have simply a 'privilege' existing instead, and a fairly strong statement that applications must be applied outside of the country before allowing a review.
Then you'd have to prepare yourself for the Australian logic for immigration and asylum. There are tiers which you fit into, or fall out of.
The Australians operate four tiers.
Tier 1: These are the candidates which you desperately want.....they have value. Craftsmen, engineers, doctors, teachers, degreed professionals, people with skills, etc. Also included in this area are entrepreneurs who have shown past success.....have capital in their hand which they'd like to use in buying a business, a hotel, a pub, etc.
Tier 2: This is a group of skilled laborers which you simply don't have enough people within the country to do the job. This is a group which you'd closely monitor and only allow X number to enter each year.....to meet precise needs.
Tier 3: People with basic education only.....without much skill or degreed background. This is the group which you might agree to take in.....provide training....and fit them into certain professions. There would be quarterly or yearly number of people allowed to fit into this tier.
Tier 4: These are temporary refugees or migrants, which for some emergency purpose.....you would allow in and provide limited to marginal help/shelter. There would probably be a time-span on their visa and some strong wording about a limit or zero help after a certain point.
Do age and experience matter in this program? Yes. A twenty-year old with no job experience or a 4-line resume.....probably would be denied entry. A fifty-year old with a resume which simply details he sold fruit off some wagon, or flipped burgers in Libya....probably wouldn't be approved for entry.
There probably would also be a rule about a medical examination. This would involve a physical, to consider current health and mental issues. If deemed mentally unstable....you wouldn't enter. Got TB? You'd have to be treated and noted as "cured" prior to entry. Got a permanent issue which requires significant medical treatment on a yearly basis? That would bring up consideration issues as well.
In the UK episode, they've actually written the entry concept that you have to speak and read English prior to them looking at your application to enter and be considered for a long-term visa. Can you imagine the Germans requiring basic German before granting a visa?
The Australians even went to the curious requirement of a character test. This required a review of the person asking for entry.....to submit for a criminal background check. If they had engaged in criminal activities in the past.....they were refused. If they'd shown any tendency to harass, molest, intimidate or stalk someone.....they were denied.
If you were a person who had past behavior to incite crowds or intimidating people? You were denied.
If at any point, your application showed that you might be a threat to the community, upon arrival.....you were denied.
The odds of Germany ever taking and using the Australian system? Almost zero. Oh, you might find sixty percent of Germans would support such a change, but to get the political folks to even bring this up for discussion.....against a back-drop of journalists hyped up against it.....well, it won't happen.
The Australians have had this around now since 1989. About every five to eight years.....they revisit it and sharpen it a bit more. No one will say they are against immigration....it's just that they want it to be successful, and a part of the Australian culture.
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