Immigrants with limited German language competence are among those that face most difficulties finding accomodation or at risk of being thrown out of their apartment. Now, a new site offers information in multiple languages so that people of all backgrounds can know their rights and recourses.

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It’s a double win for Egypt on Tuesday, which had made headlines earlier in the day for securing the hosting rights for the Africa Nations Cup 2019, as its star forward Mohamed Salah was voted the African Footballer of the Year for the second successive year.

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British historian, broadcaster and film-maker David Olusoga has been appointed by the University of Manchester as a Professor of Public History, the institution announced on Tuesday.

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Whether you’re shopping, booking holidays, or doing banking, everyday transactions are progressively moving to the digital world. Nothing is faster or simpler: wherever you are, do what you need to do with just a...

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With the traditional words “I swear to uphold the obligations of my office” which he has become familiar with over the past 13 years, Collins Nweke, a Nigerian-born Belgian politician swore an Oath of Office for a third term on .....

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The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) in Gambia started hearing testimonies from witnesses on Monday, as it set about investigating rights violations committed by the regime of Yahya Jammeh.

Modelled on South Africa’s investigation into its apartheid era, the commission will hold hearings into Jammeh’s 22-year era of oppression which ended in 2016 after he was forced from power. President ....

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Nigeria will vote on 16 February in the country’s fifth presidential election since the restoration of democracy in 1999. Olalekan Waheed Adigun, the author of the fast-selling book Witnessing The Change, analyses the factors that will decide the crucial election, mainly a battle between incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the ruling APC and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition PDP.

Read More https://www.theafricancourier.de/africa/nigerias-2019-presidential-election-5-things-you-must-know/

Chancellor Angela Merkel considers the integration of migrants a matter of reason and justice. In order to remain an economically prosperous country, Germany needs immigration, said Merkel on Wednesday in Berlin at a ceremony celebrating the 40th anniversary of the post of Integration Commissioner (Beauftragten der Bundesregierung für Migration, Flüchtlinge und Integration). Diversity and....


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In Germany, you need to go through a recognition procedure for certain job categories which are regulated by law. Here’s what you need to know in order to get your qualifications recognized so that you can start work.

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Gabon’s government has announced that a group of soldiers who seized the national radio station in an apparent coup attempt early on Monday have been arrested.

The “situation is under control”, government spokesman Guy-Bertrand Mapangou told Radio France Internationale (RFI), just hours after ...

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The puzzle over the whereabouts of Nnamdi Kanu, who has not been since 14 September 2017 when soldiers invaded his home in south-eastern city of Aba, was solved in an unexpected manner last week. Videos suddenly emerged on social media on Thursday, showing the founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group agitating for a separate country for the Igbos, praying at the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Read More https://www.theafricancourier.de/africa/nigeria-will-separatist-leader-nnamdi-kanu-determine-2019-presidential-elections-outcome/

Lufthansa Group has appointed Adenike Macaulay as the General Manager, Sales for Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea.

In a statement by the airline, Macaulay would oversee all the commercial and sales activities of Lufthansa Group Airlines in Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea from 1 January 2019. It noted that she was the first female and Nigerian to take the position.

Macaulay started her career at Lufthansa in 2009 as a business analyst for West Africa, responsible for regional results analysis, market and ad-hoc reporting, competitor monitoring and sales planning.

In 2010, she took over leadership of the team as Regional Marketing Manager, directing marketing activities as well as business analysis, pricing and sales support across seven regions in West and Central Africa. Five years later, Macaulay assumed the position of Senior Manager, Customer, Products and Marketing for sub-Sahara Africa, directing customer relations, product management and marketing activities across sub-Sahara Africa.
Read More http://www.the-african-courier.de/travel/first-nigerian-appointed-lufthansas-general-manager/

More and more Germans are worried about not being able to make ends meet when they retire, a new study has shown. Rising energy costs and low interest rates are also feeding fears of financial insecurity.

More than half of all Germans are afraid of being financially insecure in old age, German newspaper Die Welt has reported, citing a study from the Ernst & Young (EY) consulting company on consumer trust for 2019.

With a rapidly aging population, Germany's pension system is under stress, and rising living costs, low interest rates, and the growth of the temporary and low-wage employment mean that many people face challenges to achieving financial security for their retirement.

"Many Germans no longer think that their pension is secure," said Bernhard Lorentz, one of the study's authors and the head of EY's Government & Public Sector. "Politicians must take these worries seriously."
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Many new laws and legislative changes, affecting employees, the unemployed, families and retirees, came into force on 1 January 2019. The African Courier takes us through some of the most important changes that we should know.

Minimum wage rises

The statutory minimum wage (der gesetzliche Mindestlohn) rises from 8.84 euros to 9.19 euros on 1 January 2019. From 2020, employers will have to pay at least 9.35 euros per hour.

Several industry minimum wages have also risen, for example, in the roofing trade, in the electrical trade, in the building cleaning trade, and in the temporary work and care sectors.

Because a job is subject to social insurance if the earnings limit of 450 euros per month is exceeded, those who want to avoid this would have to reduce the working time accordingly.

More time for filing tax return

From 2019, taxpayers will have two months longer to submit their annual tax return (Abgabe der Steuererklärung). Those who submit their tax returns themselves have time to file their returns for 2018 until 31 July 2019. For taxpayers represented by a tax advisor, the deadline will be extended from the end of the year to the 28th of February of the following year. For example, the tax return for 2018 will then be due latest 28 February 2020.

However, whoever does not submit the tax declaration on time must automatically pay a delay fine.
Read More http://www.the-african-courier.de/europe/germany-important-new-laws-and-regulations-in-2019/

The Blue Card, Europe’s answer to the US Green Card, is a work permit allowing high-skilled non-EU citizens to work and live in any country within the European Union, excluding Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom, which are not party to the scheme. Kai Dambach/InfoMigrants explains how it works.

The EU Blue Card is a residence permit issued to highly qualified persons from third countries planning to work in the EU. Its holders are granted benefits and securities, but the permits can be very difficult to obtain.

The EU Blue Card enables third-country nationals who are university graduates or who have a comparable qualification to receive a residence title for the purpose of working in the EU. Holders can apply for permanent settlement in Europe after a certain period of time.

Blue Card holders are allowed to bring a spouse, partner, children they have had with their spouse, and other relatives that are dependent on them. The holders also sponsor their family members’ permits.

Once an application is approved, the Blue Card is valid for between 1-4 years depending on the length of the applicant’s work contract. It can be renewed. After a Blue Card holder lives and works in a European country for two years, he/she is entitled to the same rights as citizens except for loans, grants and housing rights.

Who can apply for a Blue Card?

The Blue Card is for highly-qualified or skilled workers and researchers from non-EU-countries. The following conditions must apply:

Applicants must provide proof they have completed university-level studies
Applicants must submit an employment contract or a binding job offer.
Blue Card applicants must be highly paid in order to receive the card. In Germany in 2018, Blue Card applicants are expected to have a minimum gross salary of at least 52,000 euros, but it is 40,560 euros in certain occupations in which there is a shortage of applicants, like science or mathematics.
How do you apply?

You can apply for the EU Blue Card in all member states of the EU apart from Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom. Applications should be filed at the Foreigner’s Office in the respective country.

The application may be filled by you, your employer or law firm.

The application fee is around 140 euros for issuance and 100 euros for renewal of the EU Blue Card (in Germany).

What are the benefits of the card, besides work and bringing family?

The card gives holders the opportunity to travel back to their country of origin or other non-EU states for up to one year without losing the card. Blue Card holders can also travel to other countries in the Schengen States for up to 90 days per 180 day period as a tourist. Those who have had a blue Card for at least 18 months can apply for a Blue Card of another state, if needed. That extends to family members who have a residency title with subsequent immigration from family members.

Holders of the EU Blue Card can apply for family reunification and spouses might be granted a residence permit even if they do not have any knowledge of the language prior to entering the country.

A Blue Card holder can apply for permanent residency in the European country after a certain period of time. For example, in Germany, Blue Card holders can apply for permanent residency if they have worked in a highly-qualified position for more than 33 months and have an adequate knowledge of the German language (level B1).

Can the card be taken away?

The Blue Card is difficult to obtain and can be taken away if certain criteria are not met. Applications may be considered as inadmissible or might be rejected on several grounds, as cited by the European Union Council Directive 2009/50/EC. They include:

An application may be rejected if there is a lack of qualified workers in the specific job-group in your home country, causing brain drain
Your employer took part in fraudulent actions
Your documents prove to be false
For reasons of public policy, public security or public health
If you no longer meet the required conditions
If there are national citizens, EU citizens, or non-EU citizens already living in the desired hosting state who can take up the position
Click here for more information about applying for the EU Blue Card in Germany. http://www.bamf.de/EN/Migration/Arbeiten/BuergerDrittstaat/BlaueKarte/blaue-karte-node.html

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