The new Citizenship Act came into force on 27.06.2024.

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The new Citizenship Act came into force on 27.06.2024

  • The required period of residence will be reduced from eight to five years.
  • The required period of residence will be reduced to three years if German language skills at level C1 and special integration achievements, in particular particularly good academic, vocational or professional achievements or civil engagement, are demonstrated.
  • Multiple nationality is generally permitted. If you apply for German citizenship, you no longer have to give up your current citizenship.

You can find further information in our FAQs.


2023

The vpmk 2023 donation goes to Blue Dragon, Vietnam for their actiivites against Scam Compounds and Human Trafficking

“Hello Mom, I have lost my phone, this is my new WhatsApp…”

This is the beginning of one of the most common internet scams, one of many. Even at Christmas, we’re getting swamped with fake e-mail and fraud attempts that make you stop and wonder, “Who are all these terrible people, who do nothing in their lives other than trying to lure people? How can they be so good at portraying themselves as just like you and me?”

Well, they might be pretty much like you and me, but they are often in a very bad position:

Many of these scams come from “Scam compounds”. This is an unsettling new combination of human trafficking, basically kidnapping well-educated young people who are traveling for work or leisure and forcing them to work in scam compounds, where their work is to trick people like you and me.

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20221109-inside-the-living-hell-of-cambodia-s-scam-operations

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/12/17/world/asia/myanmar-cyber-scam.html

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20221109-inside-the-living-hell-of-cambodia-s-scam-operations https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/12/17/world/asia/myanmar-cyber-scam.html To help slow down or even end this new trend, our annual holiday donations will go to Blue Dragon, a foundation in Vietnam originally intended to help street children, but now also active in the fight against human trafficking. You can find more information about their work and how to support them under: https://www.bluedragon.org/

We hope that you will have happy holidays with your loved ones and wish you a healthy, happy and peaceful new year 2024.


Stephanie Dufner and Volker Mauch among "Germany's Best Lawyers 2023" awarded by German Newspaper Handelsblatt

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Stephanie Dufner and Volker Mauch among "Germany's Best Lawyers 2023" awarded by German Newspaper Handelsblatt

In this year’s selection of “Germany’s Best Lawyers 2023” by the German newspaper “Handelsblatt”, Stephanie Dufner for Immigration Law and Volker Mauch for Labour Law were awarded. We are delighted about this recognition.


The whistleblower law is coming (effective 07/2/2023):

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The whistleblower law is coming (effective 07/2/2023):

Among other things, the Whistleblower Act protects employees who wish to report legal violations within their company internally without having to fear disadvantages as a result. The key point of the law is that employers with more than 50 employees must provide their employees with contact persons also for anonymous reports. At the same time, reporting employees – if the report is not or remains anonymous – are protected from disadvantages.

The law, if implemented correctly, can protect the company from later lawsuits for damages and be an essential part of the company’s own compliance tools. However, if applied incorrectly or not taken into account, it offers significant risks for companies.

The German government is thus implementing EU Directive 2019/1937, the transposition deadline for which has already expired.

If you need help with regard to the so-called whistleblower law, please feel free to contact us.


Minimum salary limits in German labor migration law 2023

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Minimum salary limits in German labor migration law 2023

. . The following minimum salary limits apply for 2023:

Regular EU Blue Card (§ 18b para. 2 p. 1 Residence Act): 58.400 euros/ year or 4.867.00 Euros/ month.

EU Blue Card in shortage occupations (i.e. natural scientists, mathematicians, engineers, IT specialists and doctors, section 18b para. 2 p. 2 Residence Act): 45.552 euros/ year or 3.796.00 euros/ month.

Residence permit for skilled workers in the IT sector with pronounced practical professional knowledge (§ 19c para. 2 AufenthG in conjunction with § 6 BeschV): 52,560 euros/ year or 4.380 euros/ month.

Residence permit for older skilled workers according to §§ 18a, 18b para. 1 AufenthG who take up employment for the first time after reaching the age of 45 (§ 18 para. 2 no. 5 AufenthG): 48.180 euros/ year or 4.015.00 €/ month.

Residence permit for older and first-time employees under the Western Balkans regulation or for professional drivers after reaching the age of 45 (section 1 para. 2 BeschV): 48.180 euros/ year or 4015.00 €/ month.


Real estate transfer tax increase as of 01.01.2023 in Saxony and Hamburg

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Real estate transfer tax increase as of 01.01.2023 in Saxony and Hamburg

In Saxony, the real estate transfer tax will rise from 3.5% to 5.5% as of Jan. 1, 2023 – a full 2% of the purchase price.
In Hamburg, too, the real estate transfer tax will rise to 5.5% on this date, albeit from the previous 4.5%. For young families, on the other hand, a reduction to 3.5% is planned for owner-occupied residential properties.

In both cases – it is worth keeping this date in mind when entering into real estate purchase agreements. As a rule, the date of the conclusion of the purchase agreement in the notary’s office is decisive.