Berlin beckons Indian techies
By siliconindia   |   Monday, 26 July 2004, 19:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: "It's easier for a terrorist to get asylum in Germany than it is for a foreign software expert to enter the German labour market ," one Indian computer specialist told German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer during the meeting in Mumbai. But this may not be the case anymore as Berlin had relaxed some of its immigration laws, making it easier for foreign computer specialists to work in Germany. Joschka Fischer, on his tour through Asia, addressing the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce said that IT firms and computer experts should consider Germany as a place for investment and employment. He said that the Green Card programme launched by Germany in August 2000 to attract foreign IT experts was largely ineffective because some restrictive clause on bringing family members failed to enthuse many. The program target was to attract 20,000 highly skilled workers to the country in three years. But by the end of that time, only 14,000 foreign workers landed in Germany and among them 4,000 were from India. Fischer assured that new immigrations laws to take effect in January, 2005 would make it easier for foreign computer specialists to come to Germany for work. Fischer added that Germany’s excellent infrastructure and the country’s location in the middle of European Union made it one of the most attractive locations for investment and Indian companies should try to make maximum use of it.

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