State election in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania: What the CDU and SPD promise international skilled workers

Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania will elect a new state parliament on September 20, 2026. Asylum and deportation policies are dominating the headlines in the public debate. For international For skilled workers , international students, and companies urgently seeking qualified personnel from abroad, a different, more sober question arises: What will this election actually change for the immigration of workers to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania – regardless of who governs in the future? As a law firm representing clients from the USA , Based on our regular observations of Great Britain and Canada regarding entry into and stays in Germany, we contextualize the positions of the CDU and SPD on labor migration and Demanding skilled worker immigration and what aspects of this are legally within the control of a state government.

Why the state election also counts for international skilled workers

Anyone who as skilled worker Anyone who has a job offer in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania or whose company wants to recruit staff from abroad there should be aware of one crucial point: Substantive residency and immigration law is not determined by the individual states, but by the federal government. Requirements for a Visa , a Residence permit for employment or the The requirements for the EU Blue Card are uniformly defined in the Residence Act across Germany. A state government cannot tighten or loosen these requirements. However, it can significantly influence administrative practices – processing times, staffing levels, and other factors. Immigration authorities and the question of how well companies are supported in recruiting staff. Especially in a large, sparsely populated state like Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which has been desperately short-staffed in the maritime industry, healthcare, and tourism for years. When searching for skilled workers , this practice often determines the success or failure of a recruitment process.

What is the CDU demanding: “targeted labor migration” for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania?

The CDU states in its election manifesto that Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania needs targeted labor migration to reduce the shortage of skilled workers. With this, the party addresses an issue that has concerned companies in the state for years: whether in nursing, shipbuilding, the wind energy sector, or engineering – without foreign workers, the necessary workforce cannot be found. Skilled workers are simply unable to fill many open positions. Legally, a CDU-led state government can actively recruit and support companies, for example through location marketing or collaborations with chambers of commerce. However, the legal requirements for who is allowed to enter and work are determined exclusively by federal immigration law – from the salary threshold for the The EU Blue Card serves as a prerequisite for the recognition of foreign qualifications for many residence permits.

What are the SPD's plans: a skilled worker service center and faster recognition of qualifications?

The SPD wants to continue and expand the existing skilled worker service center in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. It is intended to support companies and foreign workers. Specialists on residence permits, recognition of professional qualifications, language support and Advice on family reunification will be provided. Additionally, foreign professional qualifications are to be recognized more quickly. This point is more legally interesting than it initially sounds: Unlike residency law, the responsibility for the recognition of many professional qualifications actually lies with the federal states or the relevant chambers and recognition bodies on site. A state government can therefore make a real difference here – for example, by increasing staff at the recognition bodies or by digitizing procedures. The actual Residence permit , with which a However, the rules governing whether a skilled worker may work after successful recognition are still subject to federal law.

What can a state government actually achieve regarding skilled worker immigration?

To properly assess the election promises, it's worth looking at the legal basis. The key residence permits for Skilled workers can be found in Section 18 of the Residence Act (general employment of skilled workers ), Section 18g of the Residence Act ( EU Blue Card for academics) Skilled workers ) as well as Section 20 of the Residence Act ( Opportunity Map for Job Search for Skilled workers without a pre-existing job offer). Also particularly relevant for employers is Section 81a of the Residence Act, the so-called accelerated skilled worker procedure, which allows companies to expedite processing by the responsible authority. The immigration office and the foreign mission can expedite the process. All these regulations remain unchanged nationwide, regardless of which party forms the government in Schwerin on September 20, 2026. What can actually change with a new state government is the speed and quality of implementation on the ground – not the law itself.

What does this mean for employers and international professionals in practice?

For companies that have a skilled worker from the USA or The UK urgently needs to fill vacancies, and for skilled workers whose job offers are subject to a deadline, what ultimately matters is not the election manifesto, but the specific procedure. Those who wait to see whether a new state government will actually speed up the recognition offices or immigration authorities risk losing their qualifications. A skilled worker is being transferred to another country or company. In our experience, submitting an application independently without knowledge of local administrative practices leads to delays just as frequently as relying solely on general online information that doesn't reflect regional specifics. From supporting numerous applications, we know that processing practices vary between... The immigration authorities in Rostock, Schwerin and the more rural districts of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern differ noticeably – for example, in the required documentation. Secure livelihood , scheduling appointments, or the actual benefit of the accelerated skilled worker procedure. These differences are not mentioned in any legal commentary, but are often crucial in determining whether a skilled worker can arrive on time for the agreed start date. This is particularly relevant for HR departments, which Those who want to recruit IT specialists , engineers or nurses from abroad benefit from including this practice in their planning from the outset, instead of only reacting to a rejection or delay.

Conclusion: Election promises don't change the law – but they can accelerate its implementation

Regardless of whether the CDU, SPD or another party forms the state government in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania after September 20, 2026: The legal prerequisites for Visa , Residence permit , EU Blue Card and The opportunity map will remain uniform and unchanged nationwide. What may change is the speed at which recognition bodies and Immigration authorities are working – and that's precisely where the real difference lies for companies and skilled workers between a smooth start in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and months of waiting. Anyone wanting to play it safe shouldn't rely on an election manifesto, but rather seek legal advice early on to determine which residence permit is suitable and how the process can realistically be expedited.