The new “Act on the Further Development of Skilled Immigration” will gradually come into force from November 2023 to June 2024. It is intended to better facilitate skilled immigration from countries outside the EU and thus help to mitigate the shortage of skilled workers.

You can find an overview of the most important new features here:

Since November 2023, skilled workers with a university degree from third countries have been able to immigrate to Germany more easily with an “EU Blue Card”: among other things, the salary threshold has been significantly lowered. Details can be found at www.make-it-in-germany.com.

From March 2024, people from third countries can be employed or qualified as qualified specialists in the company as part of a recognition partnership. In future, they will be able to stay for a maximum of three years. The recognition procedure will then only start in Germany.

Further changes concern entry opportunities for people with practical professional experience, who will be able to enter the country in future for employment in all non-regulated professions. Prerequisites for this include an annual income of at least around 40,000 euros, a professional qualification recognized by the state in the country of origin and at least two years of professional experience. There are also simplifications for access to the labor market for nursing assistants, for settlement permits for foreign skilled workers, for family reunification and for the employment of students and trainees.

From June 2024 , the “opportunity card” was introduced, which is based on a points system. Points are awarded for professional qualifications, language skills, work experience, connection to Germany and age, among other things.

In addition, the Western Balkans regulation , which has previously been extended several times, will be discontinued. It allows access to the labor market in non-regulated professions for people from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. The prerequisite for employing people from these countries is approval from the Federal Employment Agency (BA). Previously, the BA was allowed to issue up to 25,000 permits per year, now it is 50,000.

The DIHK was heavily involved in the legislative process.

Further information on the new Skilled Immigration Act can be found at make-it-in-germany.com.