German Immigration News

For years, Germany has been actively courting international skilled workers . Campaigns like "Make it in Germany ," accelerated visa procedures, and a modernized skilled worker immigration law are intended to strengthen the country's attractiveness as a business location. But while the government opens doors, the business sector is increasingly closing them: Germany is experiencing its most severe wave of insolvencies in almost 20 years . According to the German Associ

Germany has been grappling with a structural shortage of skilled workers for years . Small and medium-sized enterprises ( SMEs) in particular struggle to fill vacancies. The obvious solution – recruiting qualified professionals from third countries – is hardly being used. Current figures from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) paint a clear picture: only around 6 percent of German companies actively recruit abroad. But a second figure is particularly notewo

Germany has been grappling with the term "skills shortage " for years. Politicians, business representatives, and societal institutions such as academia and public administration repeat almost daily that the country lacks qualified workers . However, a closer look at the figures and experience from legal practice reveals a more nuanced picture. There are currently around three million unemployed people in Germany. A significant proportion of them possess specialized skill

The year 2025 was particularly dynamic for VISAGUARD and the entire migration landscape in Germany . Numerous new developments, political decisions, and legal debates shaped the field. On a professional level, the focus was primarily on the abolition of so-called "turbo naturalization" (including corresponding "last-minute cases") and the heated discussions surrounding the "Work and Stay Agency" (WSA) . These debates illustrate how sensitive and complex the issue of nat

Long after the much-discussed Memorandum of Understanding between the Indian state of Maharashtra and the German state of Baden-Württemberg , the results are sobering: Not a single skilled worker has been sent to Germany under this program . The goal was ambitious – to attract up to 10,000 skilled workers to the German labor market. This case exemplifies how complex and prone to errors state-organized migration programs can be in practice. High expectations and multi-m

Germany has been experiencing a noticeable shift in naturalization patterns for several years . With approximately 300,000 naturalizations in 2024, a new record high was reached. A recent research project by the Expert Council on Integration and Migration (SVR) reveals the underlying developments – and why refugees play a central role in this trend. The new report offers valuable insights for migration law practitioners, counseling centers, and applicants. We have summa

In 2024, more applications for recognition of foreign professional qualifications were submitted in Germany than ever before . A total...

Vocational German language training remains one of the most important instruments for integrating immigrants into the German labor market in 2024. The current annual report on vocational language courses impressively demonstrates the significant growth of the system – both in terms of demand and supply. Over half a million course enrollments in the overall language program alone prove that language continues to be the crucial key to education, employment, and professio

From a legal perspective, Germany's skilled worker immigration policy appears more modern and flexible than ever before. The legal framework allows for considerable flexibility, the political goals are ambitious, and the Skilled Immigration Act has become clearer and more practical in many respects. However, anyone who examines the actual procedures quickly realizes that there is no genuine opening up to global recruitment of skilled workers . Immigration is reliably su

The latest figures from the Institute for Employment Research mark a remarkable turning point: For the first time since the introduction of full freedom of movement for workers in 2011, more Polish nationals are leaving Germany than are immigrating . This trend not only highlights the attractiveness of the German labor market, but also structural challenges that have received too little attention in the migration policy discourse so far. A decade of Polish immigration t

Germany is in an international competition for talent – and is losing. This is demonstrated not only by the latest figures from the Interior Ministry , but also by the federal government's response to a parliamentary inquiry from the Green Party regarding the evaluation of the Skilled Immigration Act . The data reveals a sobering trend: The new federal government under Friedrich Merz is falling far short of its own migration policy goals. In particular, the regulated im

With the publication of the new study "Labor Market and Immigration in Transition," researchers present one of the most comprehensive analyses to date of the current state of the German labor market. The results paint a picture that is as clear as it is alarming: The structural shortage of skilled workers is worsening – despite rising unemployment . The study shows that short-term economic weaknesses are compounded by long-term demographic challenges. Rising unemployment

Laut einer neuen OECD-Studie verliert Deutschland als Ziel von Arbeitnehmermigration an Attraktivität . Der drastische Rückgang der Erwerbsmigration nach Deutschland in den Jahren 2024 und 2025 ist kein Zufall, sondern Ausdruck einer strukturellen Krise. Während Wirtschaft und Politik seit Jahren betonen, wie dringend das Land auf ausländische Fachkräfte  angewiesen ist, hat sich die Realität in eine andere Richtung entwickelt. Die Zahl der Arbeitsmigranten ist um 32 Prozent

The shortage of skilled workers in Germany is no longer an abstract problem; it directly affects the implementation of key political and...

In the context of labor migration to Germany, transparency regarding bureaucratic processes is playing an increasingly important role. For international professionals and companies that work with VISAGUARD, reliable information on processing times has become a crucial factor in planning the start of employment, residence permits, and relocation processes. This is precisely where AllAboutBerlin 's new tool comes in: " Foreigners Office Waiting Times " offers, for the

Ten years after the large-scale refugee influx, migration expert Herbert Brücker from the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) draws...

Since March 1, 2024, Germany has had a new instrument called the Recognition Partnership , which opens up new opportunities for...

The number of naturalizations in North Rhine-Westphalia has increased significantly in recent years . One key reason: Around ten...

In Bremen , the federal state comprising the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven, long waiting times at government offices have long been a source of discontent among many people. The Migration Office is no exception. It has long been known for its long processing times and slow naturalization processes and has been a frequent subject of political debate.   Public voices critical of naturalization in Bremen These primarily revolve around the long processing times. Applic

Immigration of skilled workers and other workers declined noticeably in 2024. While over 71,000 people immigrated directly into the German labor market for the first time in 2023, this number fell to around 54,500 in 2024 – a drop of a full 23 percent . For a labor market that urgently needs international skilled workers , this is a clear warning sign. Although the total number of residence permits for employment purposes, including extensions, rose slightly, this increase