Germany to issue more skilled worker visas in 2024

Germany will issue upwards of 10 per cent more professional visas in 2024 after it relaxed some rules in a bid to tackle chronic labour shortages, the government said on Sunday. With 1.34 million jobs vacant, last year’s liberalisation of rules concerning the immigration of skilled workers addresses a critical shortage in Europe’s largest economy, […]

Germany will issue upwards of 10 per cent more professional visas in 2024 after it relaxed some rules in a bid to tackle chronic labour shortages, the government said on Sunday.

With 1.34 million jobs vacant, last year’s liberalisation of rules concerning the immigration of skilled workers addresses a critical shortage in Europe’s largest economy, whose growth has spluttered in recent years.

Following the adoption of a points-based system inspired by Canada, 200,000 professional visas will be issued in 2024, a government statement said.

The statement added that third-country student visas rose by 20 per cent, the number of apprenticeship visas doubled, and the recognition of foreign qualifications saw a nearly 50 per cent climb.

• Maternal mortality: SOGON seeks increased efforts towards addressing postpartum hemorrhage in Nigeria
• Post-election dynamism between Trump, Buhari and Tinubu

“We are working to attract the skilled workers and professionals that our economy has urgently needed for years,” Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said.