The demography of immigration in Germany: admission and integration policies (addendum: lessons for Mexico-US migration)

Abstract

Germany is a paradigmatic country when studying international migration. Its admission and integration policies have been sui generis because for several decades it did not consider itself as an immigration country despite the number of immigrants in its territory and the intense and continuous migration flows. In addition, contradictions regarding immigration policies –which at times have been very tolerant, and other times very restrictive— show the difficulties involved in managing international migration, which in Germany has had a negative impact on social integration of immigrants. Germany can be considered as a de­monstrative case for understanding the dynamics of international migration and the scope of immigration policies in the contemporary world.