Both the SPD and the Union parliamentary groups are intensifying pressure on the federal government to present a legislative draft for the “Work and Stay” agency. The Social Democratic Party (SPD) primarily holds the Federal Ministry of the Interior responsible for advancing this matter. Rasha Nasr, the SPD faction’s spokesperson on migration policy, told the news portal T-Online that while the Federal Ministry of Labor and Bärbel Bas are vigorously promoting the implementation of the “Work and Stay” agency, further steps require clarity on the unresolved issue of centralization. She emphasized that a decision from the Federal Ministry of the Interior is specifically needed here.
Centralization refers to the extent to which competencies currently held by the more than 500 local foreigners’ authorities should be consolidated at the federal level. The concept paper for the “Work and Stay” agency has been available since November 2025.
The Union, without naming specific ministries, argues that the federal government must move quickly toward implementation. Markus Reichel, the responsible reporter for the Union faction, told T-Online, “Germany needs skilled workers, and it needs them faster than our current procedures allow.” He added that businesses are waiting too long, agencies are hampered by too many responsibilities, and international qualified workers often find Germany complicated and slow. The CDU politician remarked that this situation “cannot be tolerated any longer,” describing the agency as one of the federal government’s central projects.
Industry representatives and the opposition are also pressing for action. Florian Swyter, CEO of the General Association of Personnel Service Providers (GVP), stated to T-Online that the Federal Ministry of the Interior must abandon its block and agree to centralization. Swyter asserted that the “Work and Stay” agency is a flagship project for the federal government and that the need for it is undisputed among employers. He confirmed that “we are convinced, and all research institutes say, that we will continue to need qualified workers.”
Reporters from the Union, Reichel, stated to T-Online that he expects the federal government to present an implementation proposal soon, pointing out that 280 million euros are allocated in the coming fiscal year. He called this “a significant investment,” adding that citizens rightly expect a functioning system to emerge from it.
However, the Federal Ministry of the Interior responded to T-Online by stating that the preparatory work-translating the goals of the concept paper into concrete requirements and tasks-“is not yet fully complete, which means that detailed information regarding responsibilities, competencies, timelines, and other specifications are not currently possible.” The Federal Ministry of Labor, in contrast, informed T-Online that the “necessary decisions regarding the concrete design” are expected this autumn. Despite these bureaucratic hurdles, SPD politician Nasr expressed optimism, stating that “we will reach a common solution in a timely manner and then proceed quickly with implementation.” She reinforced the collective objective, urging, “Our common aspiration must be to make the Work-and-Stay agency a success for this federal government.”
