Migrants living in Germany are here for various reasons: they came either as workers, ethnic German repatriates, refugees or dependants immigrating to join their families.
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The Federal Republic of Germany has been an immigration country practically since it came into existence. In 1955 Germany and Italy signed the first agreement on the recruitment of foreigner workers. What has become known as the economic miracle needed workers. And so the first "guest workers" arrived in Germany.
In late 1973 - during the oil crisis - the German Government stopped the recruitment of foreign workers. Up until that time 2.6 million guest workers had already made their home in Germany.
However, the Immigration Act did not come into force until 1 January 2005. The law contains regulations on migrants coming to Germany as well as on the integration of foreigners living here.