The German government approved a law on Wednesday which stipulates that citizens of other EU member-states who have not worked in Germany will not be eligible to apply for full compensation for unemployment during the first five years of their stay in Germany, reported BTA, citing Associated Press.

The plan of Labour Minister Andrea Nahles has to be approved by Parliament in order to enter into force.

The new law will save local authorities billions of Euro. The need for the new law emerged after a federal court ruled in 2015 and 2016 that non-working citizens of EU member-states have the right to social benefits after a six-month stay in Germany. Before this judicial decision, citizens of other EU member-states did not have the right to such benefits.

Chancellor Angela Merkel’s right-wing government is taking several measures in order to put an end to the series of defeats inflicted upon it by the anti-migrant party Alternative for Germany due to the growing disappointment with the flood of refugees and other migrants.

Representatives of the authorities explained that the change is aimed at guaranteeing that people arriving in Germany are actively looking for work instead of relying on benefits.