Government Plan to Tax Foreign Skilled Workers Under Scrutiny
The German government’s plan to incentivize skilled workers by offering tax exemptions has sparked controversy. Critics argue that this policy unfairly disadvantages long-term German employees.
The Bundestag’s research service expressed concerns about the legal basis for the proposed tax rebate. They argue that such preferential treatment could unfairly disadvantage workers who have been contributing to the German social system for years. While the government maintains that similar models are employed in other European countries, the Bundestag’s experts believe stricter criteria are necessary to ensure fairness.
The report commissioned by the Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) concludes that the tax incentive could be justified if a legitimate reason is provided for the differential taxation. However, they maintain that simply providing an exemption based on origin is insufficient.
The BSW party founder, Sahra Wagenknecht, criticized the government’s proposal, stating that it perpetuates tax discrimination against German citizens. She argued that such a policy sends a negative message and undermines the government’s credibility.