Figures from the German Federal Foreign Office have revealed that the country issued nearly 200.000 skilled worker visas in 2024.

Germany issued 20.500 more skilled worker visas in 2024

A recent report by The Local has found that Germany’s Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt or AA) issued 198.000 skilled worker visas in 2024.

"This includes over 11.000 EU Blue Cards, almost 5.000 Opportunity Cards, over 8.000 visas to researchers and around 20.000 visas to trainees," a spokesperson from the AA told the website.

Last year, not only did the office increase the number of skilled worker visas issued annually - up from 177.578 in 2023 - but processed and issued more visas for employment purposes than ever before.

German authorities hope to continue the trend. In January 2025, the AA announced that skilled workers hoping to move to Germany could now submit their visa applications entirely online. Speaking to The Local, the AA spokesperson said that the online visa application will be further expanded shortly.

"In addition, the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs will be more closely involved in order to increase the processing capacities of the visa centres at the German missions abroad," they explained.

"This will allow more appointments for visa applications, which will reduce waiting times. Thanks to the so-called visa jumper pool, we can provide flexible support from colleagues to visa centres that are particularly busy at short notice."

Why is Germany issuing more skilled worker visas?

Germany finds itself amid a record-high worker shortage which is only expected to get worse due to a demographic shift. While many “baby boomer” generation workers are leaving the job market, there are too few younger workers to fill the new job vacancies.

Certain sectors are worse affected than others, such as construction, IT, teaching, childcare, social workers, elderly and nursing care workers, however, almost every industry in Germany is short of people.

In a special report published ahead of the federal election on February 23, the German Institute for Economic Research (DIW) warned that economic stagnation is inevitable unless the country welcomes migrant workers.

The institute predicts 4,7 million existing employees will leave the German labour force between 2024 and 2028. “The German economy needs a significant influx of labour for long-term growth,” DIW economist Angelina Hackmann told SPIEGEL, warning that growth of the already ailing German economy could otherwise fall to 0.

Previous assessments have predicted that Germany must welcome around 400.000 foreign workers to avoid seeing the DIW’s predictions materialise. But despite the need for people and easier access to skilled worker visas, Germany is struggling to entice newcomers.

Germany's increasing political shift towards anti-immigrant rhetoric, long waiting times for administrative appointments, lack of digitised procedures, long waiting times to have foreign qualifications recognised, a housing shortage and increasingly unaffordable rents have all been cited as reasons that skilled workers may choose to settle in a different country.

Could Germany learn from Spain?

Few other European countries have been quick to act when it comes to a demographic crisis facing the entire continent. Spain is one exception. In October, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez (Spanish Socialist Workers’ Party) told parliament, “Spain needs to choose between being an open and prosperous country or a closed-off, poor country. It’s as simple as that.”

The Spanish government’s open approach to tourism and migration has brought returns. Residents from other European countries, Latin America and Africa now make up Spain’s largest migrant populations.

Fewer than six months after Sánchez’s statement, unemployment levels are at their lowest since 2008 and the working-age population has nearly doubled since 2022. Meanwhile, Spain’s 2024 economic growth (3,2 percent) has far exceeded France (1,1 percent), Germany (0,2 percent) and Italy’s (0,5 percent).

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