German bureaucracy is considered precise worldwide, but often also rigid. For highly qualified professionals , international academics, and globally operating companies, the path to [a specific career path] can be challenging. Visa applications are often fraught with physical hurdles: long waiting times for appointments at embassies and consulates and the requirement to submit passports in person significantly slow down the international recruiting process. However, a recent memorandum from...

Champagne corks are popping, the relief in the HR department is palpable: "We've finally found the specialist from India!" After months of searching, countless interviews, and a complex onboarding process, the finish line seems to have been crossed. Management often celebrates this moment as the end of a long journey. But from our perspective as a law firm specializing in visa law , this isn't the finish line, but rather the starting signal for a highly sensitive phase of legal...

A recent decision by the Cologne Regional Labor Court is causing controversy: At the beginning of 2025, the court declared a change of contract for conduct-related reasons to be lawful for the first time ( case number 7 Sa 558/23 ). In this specific case, a public sector employee was classified in pay group 14 of the German Public Service Agreement (TVöD ). However, the employer was dissatisfied with her performance and, by means of a change of contract, downgraded her to a lower...