Entering the month of June in 2024, Germany is once again experiencing various new changes that are affecting people’s lives in many different ways.
One of the major changes is the new citizenship law in Germany which will come into effect on June 27th. Overall, it will become easier for foreigners to become German citizens, as they can apply for citizenship after living in Germany for five years instead of the previous requirement of eight years. Additionally, even after living in Germany for three years, they can enjoy “special integration services”. The law also allows for holding multiple nationalities. For former contract workers from East Germany seeking citizenship, they only need to prove proficiency in the German language, without having to take a citizenship test.
To address the shortage of skilled workers, individuals from non-EU countries seeking employment can now come to Germany from June onwards with a “Chancenkarte” (Chance Card) to search for work for up to a year. The basic requirements include having undergone at least two years of vocational training in their home country or possessing a university degree along with language skills in German or English. Based on their language proficiency, professional experience, age, and connection to Germany, individuals can earn points to qualify for the card.
The additional cost subsidies in Germany will come to an end on June 30th. Landlords will no longer be able to pass on cable TV fees to tenants. Approximately 12 million consumers will need to figure out how they will continue to watch TV at home in the future, or else they will face a blank screen starting from July.
The European Parliament elections take place every five years, with this year’s election day falling on June 9th (Sunday) for the new term. Previously, this was a universal suffrage for adults, with over 4 billion people having the right to vote. Starting from this year, young people aged 16 and above are allowed to vote for members of the European Parliament. This means that the number of eligible voters in Germany has increased from about 61.5 million in 2019 to approximately 65 million.
Starting from the end of June, customers of Deutsche Bank, Sparkasse, Volks- and Raiffeisenbanken will be able to make mobile payments between each other. This is made possible by the bank’s planned European Payment Initiative (EPI) and the “wero” pan-European payment system. The purpose of this initiative is to establish a unified banking card and smartphone payment system across Europe to offer services that compete with American companies like Paypal.
As of June 9th, the German railway’s discount cards Bahncard 25 and 50 will only be provided in digital format. In order to use the subscription in digital form, consumers will need to have a personal account on the train app or the German railway website. Existing physical cards can be used until the expiration date printed on them.