On 23 November 1973, the federal government terminated the labour recruitment agreements which had led to the employment of around 14 million migrant workers in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from 1955 to 1973. Around 11 million migrants moved back to their countries of origin. The government justified the ban with the oil crisis and the subsequently increased unemployment rate. The government hoped to reduce the number of foreign employees in Germany to decrease the general unemployment rate as well as to reduce the number of “unwanted” migrants and to prevent them from settling in Germany permanently. However, many of the migrants who did not have citizenship of a member state of the European Economic Community (EEC), fearing they might not be able to regain a residence permit it they left the country, decided to settle permanently and to brought their families to live with them in Germany.