Germany Issued Over Half a Million Work Visas in Four Years

Germany continues to be a magnet for international talent. From early 2021 through the end of 2024, the country issued approximately 579,000 work visas, according to the Ministry of the Interior. This marks a significant growth in foreign workforce recruitment, especially in 2024, when Germany issued the highest number of work visas in four years.

Annual Breakdown:
- 2021: 97,000 visas
- 2022: 152,000 visas
- 2023: 158,000 visas
- 2024: 172,000 visas

Compared to 2021, this marks a 77% increase in the issuance of work visas.

In a recent statement, Germany’s Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser emphasized that immigration is critical for the country’s future:

“We have increased skilled immigration by 77% since 2021. Germany is investing more in integration and becoming increasingly attractive for global talent.”

Faeser reaffirmed that Germany must remain a “country of immigration,” underlining the strategic role foreign workers play in sustaining the German economy, particularly in sectors facing labor shortages.

Immigration Reform & New Tools

Germany has revamped its migration framework in recent years to make immigration easier and more efficient:

In June 2023, Germany passed the new Skilled Workers Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz), introducing a points-based system modeled after Canada’s.

In 2024, the country launched the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte), allowing third-country nationals to enter Germany and seek employment on-site.

This reform is expected to simplify the pathway for skilled workers, students, and jobseekers.

Challenges: Bureaucracy and Long Processing Times

While policy changes are encouraging, visa applicants continue to face long delays. Complaints about slow processing times—often lasting months—are common among skilled workers trying to enter Germany.

The government acknowledges these issues and says further digitalization and staffing of immigration offices is underway, but the backlog remains significant. As of September 2023, over 273,900 pending residence permit applications were recorded.

Market Outlook: A Surge in Work Visa Holders

As of late 2023, 419,000 individuals were residing in Germany on work visas—double the figure recorded in 2018. Analysts attribute this increase to:
- Flexible immigration laws
- Post-pandemic labor market recovery
- Active demand in healthcare, tech, logistics, and skilled trades

Public Opinion Remains Divided

Despite the economic need, public attitudes toward immigration remain mixed:
- 84% of Germans support accepting refugees fleeing war
- Only 30% support labor migration, indicating a gap in public perception between humanitarian and economic migration

Germany's strategy to attract global talent is showing results, with record numbers of work visas and immigration reforms boosting the inflow of skilled workers. However, bureaucratic delays and public skepticism remain hurdles to fully realizing the country’s migration potential.

As Europe’s largest economy faces demographic decline and growing labor shortages, continued efforts in streamlining processes and building public consensus will be crucial.