Germany Issues 80,000 Employment Visas Amid Labor Shortages.
Germany issued 80,000 visas for employment purposes between January and June 2024, according to the Federal Foreign Office. Of these, 40,000 were for skilled workers, marking an increase of 3,000 compared to the same period in 2023, as reported by Schengen.News.
This rise in visa issuance is linked to the ongoing labor shortages in Germany, particularly among skilled workers. The country is facing shortages in over 70 occupations, as highlighted in the 2023 EURES report.
The roles affected by these shortages span multiple sectors, including transportation, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, engineering, and information technology. An analysis by the German Economic Institute (IW) found that nearly 600,000 job vacancies existed in Germany in 2023. The study revealed that 570,000 positions remained unfilled, impacting the economy significantly. According to DW, IW estimated that lost production potential could reach €74 billion by 2027.
The number of labor shortages is expected to grow in the coming years. A study by the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) indicated that Germany will need seven million new employees by 2035, as noted by German Labour Minister Hubertus Heil.
In response to these challenges, Germany is implementing measures to attract foreign workers. The country plans to recruit skilled workers from India through the new Indian Skilled Worker strategy, which will be introduced during German-Indian government consultations this autumn.
Additionally, Germany has relaxed some immigration rules to address labor shortages. In June 2024, the government doubled the number of annual work visas available under the Western Balkans Regulation to 50,000. This change provides citizens from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia with greater opportunities to enter the German labor market.
Furthermore, authorities introduced the Opportunity Card in June 2024, allowing non-EU citizens to enter Germany to seek suitable employment more easily.