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Germany to widen green card scheme

Germany on Tuesday announced that some of the restrictive features in the green card scheme, aimed at wooing IT professionals, were being relaxed, and the scheme itself would be 'widened and extended'.

Germany's Internal and Home Affairs Minister Otto Schily said the spouse and children of IT professionals, who had come to Germany under the scheme, would now be given visa to visit the country.

Participating in a panel discussion at SAP Labs on the city outskirts, Schily also said the professional's stay in Germany would be prolonged beyond five years if the person continued in the same job.

Asked by a SAP employee, who spoke from Waldorf in Germany and 'web cast' live, if her spouse, children and parents would be allowed to visit Germany, he said core family members (children and spouse) would be allowed.

But in the case of parents, "special decision" will have to be taken, and the professional needed to complete one year of stay in Germany, he said.

Asked if she could continue her stay in Germany beyond five years, Schily said "You can extend provided you stay in the job."

The green card scheme would be "widened and extended."

The German government had earlier this year announced a quota of 10,000 such cards. Of the 9,738 that were utilised, about 2,000 were Indians.

Indian professionals reportedly found the earlier offer unattractive mainly because the entitlement was only for five years.

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