The survey is part of the research project Evaluation of the Law and the Ordinance on the Further Development of Skilled Labour Immigration. This project analyses the reforms of the Skilled Labour Immigration Law (Gesetz und Verordnung zur Weiterentwicklung der Fachkräfteeinwanderung), which have gradually come into force since 18 November 2023. Within this framework, the survey examines the challenges posed by the administrative implementation of the law, particularly from the perspective of immigrants. Furthermore, the labour market integration of recently immigrated skilled workers and labourers, as well as their experiences in Germany, are analysed in depth.

We have obtained your address from the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR), which is maintained by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Section 24a (6) of the Central Register of Foreigners Act (AZR-Gesetz) enables us to process personal data for research purposes under certain conditions.

A representative random sample will be surveyed. Immigrants holding residence titles for employment based on substantial practical professional experience (Section 19c (2) of the Residence Act (AufenthG) in conjunction with Section 6 of the Employment Regulation (BeschV)) and holders of an Opportunity Card (according to Section 20a AufenthG) will be contacted in full. Persons with a residence permit in accordance with Section 16d AufenthG (recognition measures) will also be overproportionately included in the sample.

The invitation to participate in the survey will be sent by post to the respondents and will contain a link to the INGRESS online portal, where the survey is conducted.

Unfortunately, it is not possible for other interested persons who have not received an invitation to participate in the study.

When people share information about their life situations in surveys, researchers can identify and understand their needs and challenges better. The more people take part in such scientific surveys, the more accurate and comprehensive our picture becomes of how the lives and work of immigrants in Germany are developing. Your support is therefore very important. Your experiences and the informed recommendations we derive from the results help political decision-makers. This enables us to identify areas for improvement in the law and optimise skilled labour immigration.

We obtained your address from the Central Register of Foreigners (AZR), which is kept by the BAMF. Section 24a (6) of the Central Register of Foreigners Act (AZR-Gesetz) enables us to process personal data for research purposes under certain conditions. You may object to the transfer of your data at any time. Both your consent to the transfer of your data and your participation in the survey are voluntary. By participating, you are making an important contribution to improving the situation of foreign skilled workers in Germany. Your data will be used exclusively for research purposes. Further information on data protection can be found in the privacy policy.

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) have commissioned a scientific evaluation of the reforms to the Skilled Immigration Act in accordance with the statutory mandate provided. The evaluation is conducted in cooperation between the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) and the Research Centre of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF-FZ).

The BAMF is a federal authority within the remit of the BMI and is the competence centre for asylum, migration and integration in Germany. The research centre at the Federal Office examines migration to and from Germany, supports the integration process of people with a migration background, and conducts evaluation studies on specific programmes and measures. The legal basis for research at the BAMF is Section 75 No. 4 and 4a AufenthG. Further information on the BAMF Research Centre can be found at: https://www.bamf.de/DE/Themen/Forschung/forschung-node

The IAB is the research institute of the Federal Employment Agency. The central task of the institute is to advise political actors at all levels on the basis of scientific findings. The legal basis for research and consultation by the IAB is Section 55 SGB II and Sections 280 No. 2, 282 SGB III (SGB is the Social Code). Further information on the Institute for Employment Research can be found on the website: www.iab.de

The online portal INGRESS is operated by Ingress GmbH, a service provider of the IAB. Ingress GmbH will handle the technical implementation the survey through its online portal and pass the data collected in the survey on to the researchers at the IAB. With regard to data protection, the service is secured by an order processing agreement in accordance with Art. 28 GDPR; Ingress GmbH acts exclusively on the instructions of the IAB.

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) supports the project as a commissioning and funding body. Its role is limited to coordinating the overarching research design and the strategic use of the results. The BMAS does not intervene in decisions regarding methodological details or ongoing field activities. The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) is also a commissioning body for the project.

The Federal Employment Agency (BA) is also involved in the project as a funding body.

Experience shows that participants need varying amounts of time to answer the questions. On average, it will take about 20 minutes to complete the survey.

Yes, you can pause the survey at any time for a short period, as long as you do not close your browser. As the survey is completely anonymous and your answers are not linked to your personal data in any way, it is not possible to resume the survey once you have closed your browser.

You can take part in the survey once.

All answers from the online survey will be processed using computer-assisted methods. The answers of all respondents will then be statistically evaluated. Using the total of all the entries, percentages can be calculated or statistical analyses carried out, for example. The results will be reported in tables and graphs.

The IAB holds administrative data relating to you, i.e. data from customer contexts and employer reports (e.g. periods of employment and unemployment). The administrative data is available to the IAB on the legal basis of Section 282 (5) and (6) of SGB III. Your answers in this survey are particularly useful to the researchers if they can be linked to your personal administrative data held by the IAB, as this improves the quality and informative value of the research results. Your consent to this is voluntary and will also be requested before the survey itself starts.

Your entries from the surveys will be processed in compliance with strict data protection provisions and stored separately from your name and address. The body responsible for processing personal data in the context of this survey is the Federal Employment Agency, represented by its executive board, Regensburger Str. 104, 90478 Nürnberg. The technical implementation of the survey is carried out by the company Ingress as a contractor for the Institute for Employment Research. Ingress acts exclusively on the instructions of the Institute for Employment Research and is obligated to maintain the strictest confidentiality. Further information about Ingress can be found at: https://www.ingress.de.

No! Only scientific objectives will be pursued within the scope of the study. The data will not be passed on for market research or advertising purposes! The results of the study will be made available to other researchers, policymakers and public authorities, and interested members of the public. No individual data on participating persons can be identified from the results.

The results of this survey will be presented in the coming years. The publication of the main report is scheduled for spring 2028. The research findings are also often reported in the media (daily newspapers, television news).

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact the researchers involved by email: iab.projektfeg20@iab.de.

Please send a corresponding email to iab.projektfeg20@iab.de. Then we will not contact you again.