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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Annalena Baerbock signed an agreement on a ‘Comprehensive Migration and Mobility Partnership’ to facilitate mobility and employment opportunities between India and Germany.
“Through a new law to be adopted in early 2023, Germany’s government proposes to significantly facilitate the immigration of qualified workers from abroad,” according to a press statement issued by the Ministery of External Affairs on Monday.
Specific provisions
The Migration and Mobility Partnership agreement has specific provisions to facilitate mobility and employment opportunities for fostering exchange of skills and talents. These include Academic Evaluation Center in New Delhi, 18 months extended residence permits to students, 3,000 job seeker visas annually, liberalised short stay multiple entry visas and streamlined readmission procedures.
The German Minister is on a two-day official visit to India. Issues being discussed also include cooperation on the transition to renewable energy and India’s relationship with Russia and China.
On climate change
Baerbock, at a joint press conference in New Delhi on Monday with Jaishankar after their bilateral meeting, lauded India for focussing on climate crisis during its on-going G20 presidency.
“Climate change is destroying livelihoods. India’s ‘one family one future’ (theme for G20) is putting a special focus on containing climate crisis highlighting common responsibility for containing climate change,” she said, pointing out that G20 was responsible for most of the world’s greenhouse emissions.
On the Migration and Mobility Partnership, the Minister said that it will increase cooperation between the two countries by making it easier for qualified professionals and youngsters to study in Germany and work there. “One of our big tasks is also to reduce the waiting time for visa applicants,” she said acknowledging that Indians had to wait for a long time for their visas to Europe.
The agreement will institutionalise a Joint Working Group for further deepening cooperation in the sphere of migration and mobility.
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