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Skilled worker immigration from Baden-Württemberg and India: Maharashtra agreement has yielded no results so far.
- VISAGUARD Sekretariat
- Dec 27, 2025
- 3 min read
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-million-dollar advertising
Maharashtra had placed great hopes in the pilot project from the outset. Around five crore rupees, or several hundred thousand euros , were invested in promoting the program, and a dedicated office was opened in Stuttgart . The initial results seemed impressive: over 32,000 applicants registered for the German language courses, which were a prerequisite for entry into Germany. At the same time, the equivalent of several million euros was available for the overall project. However, despite this financial and organizational investment, the decisive breakthrough has yet to materialize.
Language barriers as a key bottleneck
A pilot project in the Sindhudurg and Kudal regions was intended to mark the start of the practical part of the agreement. 107 candidates from various professional fields, including nursing , were selected for language training . While 81 participants passed the A1 exam in the internal testing procedure, almost all failed at the next level. Without passing the A2 exam, a posting to Germany was not possible .
Those responsible point to significant structural difficulties. Many participants lack an academic background, which further complicates learning German. At the same time, this highlights a central problem with many government programs: language acquisition is often underestimated, even though it is the key to successful labor migration .
Organization, audits and missing permits
The project is also progressing slowly at the institutional level. While educational credentials have been reviewed at the district level and discussions have been initiated with German partners, the relevant authorities have yet to issue final approvals to language school operators . Although 15 language centers now exist in Mumbai alone, many formal procedures remain incomplete. This means that the necessary legal and organizational framework for the practical implementation of the migration is lacking .
Hope for 2026 – but many questions remain unanswered
According to the project management, the first participants could arrive in Germany no earlier than the end of 2026. In parallel , teachers from state schools are now being trained in German, and some of them have already reached language level B1. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether these measures will be sufficient to even come close to achieving the original goal in the foreseeable future.
This case illustrates that while government-backed skilled worker agreements are politically attractive, their implementation can fail due to very practical hurdles: language qualifications, educational level, administrative procedures and realistic time planning ultimately determine success or failure.
For German employers hoping for government-subsidized quotas from third countries, this development is an important warning sign. In practice, the individual immigration route via the skilled worker immigration law, with its clear requirements, legally sound visa procedures, and professional support, is often more reliable. Large-scale political promises are no substitute for functioning administrative structures and effective language training.
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