While hegemonic discourses are constantly conceptualizing migration movements as a threat for the national welfare state, the German economy has largely profited from migration and bilateral agreements on temporary labour migration. This was possible due to restrictions of migrant workers’ residence permits, freedom of movement and access to social rights. Based on an early-stage research on the meat industry of the Oldenburg Münsterland the authors assume that this situation is persistent even after the EU enlargement and the promised higher distribution of EU-citizenship rights.