STRASBOURG/BERLIN – The European Parliament on February 10, 2026 adopted two closely watched regulations that will allow member states to fast-track the rejection of asylum claims and return applicants to so-called “safe countries of origin” or “safe third countries.” The measures were approved by comfortable majorities (408-184 and 396-226) after center-right groups joined far-right parties in backing the legislation.
For Germany, which processed almost 350 000 asylum claims in 2025, the new framework represents the most significant overhaul of first-instance procedures since the 2015 migration crisis. From 1 June 2026, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will be able to declare an application “manifestly unfounded” within ten working days if the applicant is a national of, or has transited, any of the 13 jurisdictions on the EU’s safe-country lists—including India, Morocco, Tunisia and EU-candidate states such as Kosovo. Applicants may still appeal, but the process will no longer suspend deportation unless courts intervene within 48 hours.
Berlin expects the accelerated procedure to reduce its backlog—currently 112 000 pending cases—by at least one-third this year. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) welcomed the vote, arguing that it “restores credibility to the asylum system” and frees resources for genuinely persecuted individuals. The opposition Greens and leading NGOs condemned the rule as a “de facto collective expulsion” that ignores individual risk and outsources protection obligations to countries with weaker rights safeguards.
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For organisations and private applicants now looking to replace the asylum route with regular migration channels, VisaHQ can provide hands-on assistance. Through its Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/), the service offers real-time visa requirement checks, document preparation tools and expert guidance on pathways such as the EU Blue Card, family reunion and short-term work visas—helping employers and transferees stay compliant amid the new, faster rejection regime.
Corporate mobility managers should prepare for much shorter timelines between a negative decision and removal, especially for assignees’ accompanying family members whose claims piggy-back on the principal applicant. Employers planning to transfer staff from ‘safe-origin’ states may need to pivot to skills-based channels such as the EU Blue Card or Germany’s Chancenkarte rather than asylum-linked stays.
Practically, compliance teams will need to monitor removal orders that may affect employees or contractors on tolerated status (Duldung). The Interior Ministry has committed to publishing weekly deportation statistics once the scheme starts, enabling companies to anticipate labour-force gaps in logistics, construction and care—sectors that currently employ large numbers of workers whose asylum cases remain undecided.
For Germany, which processed almost 350 000 asylum claims in 2025, the new framework represents the most significant overhaul of first-instance procedures since the 2015 migration crisis. From 1 June 2026, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) will be able to declare an application “manifestly unfounded” within ten working days if the applicant is a national of, or has transited, any of the 13 jurisdictions on the EU’s safe-country lists—including India, Morocco, Tunisia and EU-candidate states such as Kosovo. Applicants may still appeal, but the process will no longer suspend deportation unless courts intervene within 48 hours.
Berlin expects the accelerated procedure to reduce its backlog—currently 112 000 pending cases—by at least one-third this year. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) welcomed the vote, arguing that it “restores credibility to the asylum system” and frees resources for genuinely persecuted individuals. The opposition Greens and leading NGOs condemned the rule as a “de facto collective expulsion” that ignores individual risk and outsources protection obligations to countries with weaker rights safeguards.
For organisations and private applicants now looking to replace the asylum route with regular migration channels, VisaHQ can provide hands-on assistance. Through its Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/), the service offers real-time visa requirement checks, document preparation tools and expert guidance on pathways such as the EU Blue Card, family reunion and short-term work visas—helping employers and transferees stay compliant amid the new, faster rejection regime.
Corporate mobility managers should prepare for much shorter timelines between a negative decision and removal, especially for assignees’ accompanying family members whose claims piggy-back on the principal applicant. Employers planning to transfer staff from ‘safe-origin’ states may need to pivot to skills-based channels such as the EU Blue Card or Germany’s Chancenkarte rather than asylum-linked stays.
Practically, compliance teams will need to monitor removal orders that may affect employees or contractors on tolerated status (Duldung). The Interior Ministry has committed to publishing weekly deportation statistics once the scheme starts, enabling companies to anticipate labour-force gaps in logistics, construction and care—sectors that currently employ large numbers of workers whose asylum cases remain undecided.
