Federal Employment Minister Bärbel Bas (SPD) firmly rejected the claim that people are migrating solely to benefit from Germany’s social welfare systems. Speaking to RTL and ntv on Friday, Bas stressed that the core issue needing to be addressed is not general immigration, but rather the misuse of social benefits, which she described as a serious offense, far from a minor mistake.
She noted that countermeasures, such as the financial control targeting illegal employment, have already been implemented.
Bas acknowledged that some people genuinely come to Germany because they seek a better life or are fleeing conflict and persecution. However, she countered the narrative that people arrive only armed with a detailed catalog of benefits, enabling them to decide where to immigrate.
Adding that her initial statement had been oversimplified, Bas clarified that her actual concern was focused on skilled workers. She criticized what she called the overgeneralized accusation: “They all only come to immigrate into our social systems”. Bas emphasized that this generalization is inaccurate and unfair to the hardworking people already living in the country.
