New figures from the Federal Foreign Office: 2 million visa applications in 2024

Germany has published its latest visa figures – and they shed light on opportunities, hurdles, and developments in the field of labor migration. With almost 2 million visa applications processed and over 1.7 million approvals in 2024, it's clear that the demand for immigration is high – and Germany remains a sought-after destination for work, study, and family reunification. However, the figures also reveal that bureaucracy, legal uncertainties, and lawsuits remain key issues.

A look at labor immigration – the most important visa types in 2024

The statistics show the following important visa grants in the area of skilled immigration :

• Blue Card EU: 14,551 approvals

• Opportunity Card: 4,954

• Intra-Corporate Transfers (ICT): 3,936

• Female researchers and scientists: 8,542

• Nursing staff: 10,416

• Adaptation qualifications: 9,560

Of the visa figures mentioned, the newly created Federal Foreign Office (BfAA) processed over 62,000 national visa applications, approximately 20% of which were in the areas of employment and education. This demonstrates that the visa process is moving toward centralization – and that new administrative structures are beginning to take effect.

Visa policy is more than just “paperwork”

The figures also show that visa decisions are increasingly an interplay of law, technology, diplomacy, and capacity . While the pilot phase for abolishing the remonstration procedure (the possibility of filing an appeal against a rejection at the embassy) has reduced staffing levels, the number of legal actions has increased significantly. This is now putting a strain on the Berlin Administrative Court, which is responsible for visa appeals nationwide.

Positive: More speed – especially with regard to the Skilled Immigration Act

The statistics also show that the "Visa Fast Track" program is working. In 2024, a total of 10% more work visas and 20% more student visas were issued. In addition, the international portal is scheduled to undergo significant technical expansion in 2025. In the future, for example, family applications will be submitted from a single user account, and the first online payments will be enabled—a step toward modern administration.

Conclusion: If you want to retain skilled workers in Germany, you have to do more than just enable immigration

Each visa number represents a real person: a nurse starting a job in Munich. An IT specialist waiting to start work in Berlin. A family finally ready to live together again. For companies, law firms, and applicants, this means that awareness of current developments is crucial. Visas are not a formality—they are the key to real-life immigration.

Here you can find the visa statistics of the Federal Foreign Office for the year 2024: https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/service/visa-und-aufenthalt/2231558-2231558