Germany extends 'green card' visas for techies

Green Card visas which was introduced by Germany for IT professionals from outside the European Union would be extended for another 18 months. The scheme which was introduced was due to end on July 31, since the new system to be put in place is delayed the green cards would still be issued until Dec 31, 2004.

Government spokesman Bela Anda said, "More than two jobs can be created, and have been created for each information technology specialist employed". The green cards, named after a similar scheme in the United States, were launched on August 1, 2000.

The programme foresaw the distribution of 20,000 work and residency permits for five years to non-European Union citizens in an effort to import technological "know-how" into Germany. More than 10,000 cards have been issue so far and those benefiting from these are specially from India and fomer Soviet Union.