Migration policies of Western immigration countries have always been strongly influenced by meritocratic principles: migrants who are expected to or already perform well in the labour market or in the education system are rewarded with visa or resident permits. This holds especially true for labour migration but is also valid for integration policies. However, in refugee policies, traditionally, there is an institutional bias towards (human) security issues. Still, meritocratic principles have found their way into refugee policies of most countries. This contribution analyses such developments in Germany, with a focus on the years 2015 and 2016. It argues that German refugee politics is witnessing a meritocratic turn that comprises legal changes as well as new governance models. © 2017 Duncker und Humblot GmbH. All rights reserved.

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