BERLIN, GERMANY (AFP) - The German government wants immigrants to sign an 'integration contract' binding newcomers to German 'values,' the country's commissioner for immigration, refugees and integration said on Monday.

"Anyone who wants to live here for a long time and who wants to work has to say "yes" to our country," Maria Boehmer told the Stuttgarter Nachrichten local daily.

"This includes learning the German language as well as the readiness to participate in society," she said. In exchange, immigrants "can expect help and support."

She said that common values that immigrants would have to pledge to uphold included freedom of speech and equality of the sexes.

Boehmer added that there were parts of large German cities with "parallel societies" where there are "significant deficits" when it comes to speaking German and school performance.

But she added that success stories among Germany's 15.1-million strong population of immigrants and their descendants had to be better publicised, such as those who create firms or become engineers, doctors or lawyers.

Last year, in common with some other European countries, Germany introduced a test on key facts about the country for people wanting to gain German citizenship.