The European Union's employment commissioner on Saturday asked Germany to explain its decision to keep its labor market closed until 2011 to unskilled workers from new EU member states in eastern Europe. "I am awaiting a concrete and detailed explanation from Germany," Vladimir Spidla told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily during a conference in Bonn. "Germany must provide (an explanation), then I will see if the arguments are convincing," the former Czech prime minister added. Earlier this week, the German government said it would ease rules for highly qualified immigrants from new EU states seeking work to fill yawning gaps in the German job market. The government also reduced the minimum wage highly-skilled foreigners have to earn to secure a work permit to 63,600 euros ($101,200) per year from 86,400 euros.
"I am awaiting a concrete and detailed explanation from Germany," Vladimir Spidla told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily during a conference in Bonn. "Germany must provide (an explanation), then I will see if the arguments are convincing," the former Czech prime minister added.
Earlier this week, the German government said it would ease rules for highly qualified immigrants from new EU states seeking work to fill yawning gaps in the German job market.
The government also reduced the minimum wage highly-skilled foreigners have to earn to secure a work permit to 63,600 euros ($101,200) per year from 86,400 euros.
