Hi All

I just read in the papers that very soon(starting from 2006?) there will be some changes in German Laws, like the provitional period before someone gets a Umbefristet contract will be changed from 6 months to 2 years, there will be some changes in the Lohnsteur we pay now etc. etc. Can someone please give us some details? Is Germany moving more to the USA( or at least UK) type of job-market

nimo

They have to.. because the Germany's competitors in the global market are not playing fair. Countries like China, India do not care about the working conditions and living standards of their labour-force. It is no problem for them that the labour-force gets exploited, so a country which wants to compete with such a country in the global market should change the conditions of his labour-market and make it less human and more exploitable.. how do they call it nowadays with a buzz, harmless-looking word.. YES.. they have to make it more "LIBERAL".. because the free-market does the best for all.. right ? sure.. sure.. we see it clearly from USA..

Regards,

Lacrima

i remember someone used to post a UK workpermit application procedure here, could someone pls post it again? the service i found in website http://www.workpermit.com is quite expensive, it is abt US $1,650, is there any way to apply it by our own? pls advise. thanks.

nimo-c16x75,

... the provitional period before someone gets a Umbefristet contract will be changed from 6 months to 2 years, there will be some changes in the Lohnsteur we pay now etc. etc.

Additional info from my side to Lacrima's comments, with which I agree totally.

All these changes are proposed because of bad economic situation in Germany.

There is a great parity between Euro and Dollar. This is definitely a problem for EU economy. Companies cannot sell their products against a weak US dollar. This also troubles the German economy.

Companies complain about excessive workforce costs (they pay a lot taxes for the workers in Germany). Worker rights are protected by unions, by law (Kündigungsschutz - layoff protection) and high taxes. If a company who is in a bad condition, wants to reduce the costs by laying off people, they firstly have to negotiate with union. In most case negotations between union and company take months long, which is very expensive for company financial issues.

In short, it is expensive for companies to hire people in Germany.

Germany already started to handle this with Hartz IV Law. They are paying less unemployment salary than before. This reduces tax weight on the workforces and companies.

Therefore following law changes will be proposed:
1. It will be easier to lay off people (Kündigungsschutz - layoff protection gets loose)
2. longer provitional periods. In this period companies pay less taxes, a worker costs less for a company. It is always easier for companies to lay off people in trial periods

The aim of all these proposed changes is to stop or at least slow down economic downturn. I have been addressing the economic situation in Germany for a long time. Now the state is applying such laws that proves the economic situation...

This is the reality. I am afraid in the coming years the life won't be more easier than now, especially for foreign people.

Klenze17.