- 2023Approved/Agreed
- 2024Implementation
- 2025Implementation
Background
Labour migration is increasingly recognised as a key policy intervention to fill vacancies for skilled or qualified professionals needed to counter a shrinking workforce population. Germany is actively looking to third countries to plug its gap in skilled labour. The 2020 Skilled Immigration Act set the compass of the new German approach to labour migration by simplifying requirements for skilled workers from third countries (see corresponding PD). However, bureaucratic hurdles, also in the recognition procedure of foreign qualification, and missing required German language skills still impeded many migrant workers to get to Germany to work or employers to hire.
Objectives
The second Skilled Immigration Act (also known as the “Law on the further development of skilled worker immigration”) aims to further facilitate labour immigration from non-EU countries, supporting the Federal Government's Skilled Labour Strategy (2022). It aims to make it easier for skilled workers who have qualifications in vocational education and training (VET) or higher education and for people with practical professional experience to move to Germany and work. Additionally, the law broadens access also for immigrants who want to pursue (continuing) education and training in Germany - ensuring that more third-country nationals come to Germany to train or study, and subsequently work as skilled workers in Germany.
Description
The German government published the 'Key points on skilled labour immigration from third countries' in 2022. It intended to further develop the 2020 Skilled Immigration Act with better framework conditions for a modern immigration country in the areas of recruitment, professional recognition, matching, cooperation with third countries, language support, social integration, processes and procedures, and digitisation. This Key Points paper became the basis for a more comprehensive draft law on labour immigration in Germany. This law was to be part of a broader strategy to secure skilled labour.
Following up on the 2020 Skilled Immigration Act, the ’Law on the further development of skilled worker immigration’ was drafted in 2022-23 and adopted in July 2023. This law expands the options to enter Germany from a third country for the purposes of searching for a job, employment, or recognition of a foreign professional or vocational qualification. It makes it easier for skilled workers who have completed a vocational or a higher education qualification and for persons with practical professional knowledge to move to Germany. The regulations mainly relate to the requirements for obtaining a residence permit. The Residence Act (AufenthG) governs residence permits for various purposes such as work, training, looking for training, or the recognition of foreign professional and vocational qualifications. The issuing of a residence...
The German government published the 'Key points on skilled labour immigration from third countries' in 2022. It intended to further develop the 2020 Skilled Immigration Act with better framework conditions for a modern immigration country in the areas of recruitment, professional recognition, matching, cooperation with third countries, language support, social integration, processes and procedures, and digitisation. This Key Points paper became the basis for a more comprehensive draft law on labour immigration in Germany. This law was to be part of a broader strategy to secure skilled labour.
Following up on the 2020 Skilled Immigration Act, the ’Law on the further development of skilled worker immigration’ was drafted in 2022-23 and adopted in July 2023. This law expands the options to enter Germany from a third country for the purposes of searching for a job, employment, or recognition of a foreign professional or vocational qualification. It makes it easier for skilled workers who have completed a vocational or a higher education qualification and for persons with practical professional knowledge to move to Germany. The regulations mainly relate to the requirements for obtaining a residence permit. The Residence Act (AufenthG) governs residence permits for various purposes such as work, training, looking for training, or the recognition of foreign professional and vocational qualifications. The issuing of a residence permit and recognition of a foreign professional or vocational qualification are examined in separate procedures.
The federal government's portals ‘Make it in Germany’ and ‘Recognition in Germany’ provide information on these and all other legal changes, including webinars on the second law on skilled immigration.
The legislation on skilled immigration is involving several Federal ministries, especially for the interior, for labour and for education.
The second Skilled Immigration Act was passed in July 2023 and came in the following months successively into force. From November 2023, skilled workers with vocational training or academic qualifications are entitled to a residence permit if all requirements are met. Skilled workers with a qualified vocational qualification or university degree may take up any qualified employment in the non-regulated sector. Training and employment no longer have to be related. In addition, the employment of professional drivers was simplified.
The new regulations under the second Skilled Immigration Act make it possible for people in non-regulated occupations to access the labour market even without recognition in Germany. Among other things, this requires state-recognised training in the country of training. Specific qualifications from the chambers of commerce abroad (AHKs) can also be used as an alternative. The Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) checks these qualifications at the request of the respective AHK.
In 2024, further regulations as defined in this act came into force. In March 2024:
- the priority check was waived for skilled workers from third countries following an in-company vocational training. Priority check means, that the Federal Employment Agency must check sometimes, whether there are job applicants with priority rights over migrants. This involves determining if a vacancy can be filled by a jobseeker in Germany. Moreover, the opportunities for part-time and trial employment were extended for those seeking a training place, the duration of the residence permit issued for the purpose of finding a training place was aligned with that for seeking a university place at nine months and the age limit for this application was raised from 25 to 35 years;
- skilled workers from third countries have since then the possibility to wait until they have entered Germany to have their foreign qualifications recognised, while still being able to take up qualified employment: by entering a recognition partnership with their employer;
- the recognition procedure (equivalence check with German qualification), which used to be required when applying for a work visa, became optional in some cases (does not apply to regulated occupations like nurses). Workers from non-EU countries with a formal qualification (state-recognised in the country of training or VET certificates issued by chambers of commerce abroad AHKs and checked by BIBB), a specified minimum salary (or collective agreement – to avoid wage dumping) and extensive professional experience (at least 2 years) now have limited access to the German labour market in occupations for which professional experience is proven.
Since June 2024, the so-called ‘search option’ to obtain a visa to seek employment or to undergo adaptation / compensation measures for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications has been improved with the ‘Opportunity card’ (Chancenkarte), a new residence status for this purpose.
All of these new residence permits which entered in to force in March and June 2024, allow also secondary employment of up to 20 hours per week, thereby expanding the opportunities for earning a living.
On 18 November 2024, the first stage of the law on the further development of skilled worker immigration had been in force for one year. According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), around 200 000 visas were issued for employment purposes between November 2023 and November 2024. Compared to the previous year (177 578), this represents an increase of over 10%.
The number of individuals coming as students, apprentices or for adaptation measures to recognise foreign professional qualifications, which they complete in whole or in part in Germany, has risen sharply. For students from third countries, the growth is almost 20% (from 82 198 to 98 574). Among apprentices, the number has risen by over 40% (from 14 218 to 20 374), and among people completing adaptation measures, by almost 50% (from 7 399 to 11 039).
In April 2025, the new German government planned to optimise the implementation of the second Skilled Immigration Act (see PD Recruiting skilled workers from abroad) in its Coalition Agreement.
As detailed in the PD on Recruiting skilled workers from abroad (2025 implementation phase), the Expert Council on Integration and Migration (SVR) analysed recent reforms on migration and integration, including the second Skilled Immigration Act, and made some recommendations.
Bodies responsible
- Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) (since 2025)
- Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community (BMI) (until 2025)
- Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS)
- Federal Ministry for Education, Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMBFSFJ) (since 2025)
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (until 2025)
- Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB)
- Federal Employment Agency (BA)
- Federal Foreign Office (AA)
- German Chambers of Commerce Abroad (AHK)
Target groups
Learners
- Young people (15-29 years old)
- Learners with migrant background, including refugees
- Adult learners
Entities providing VET
- Companies
- VET providers (all kinds)
Other stakeholders
- Social partners (employer organisations and trade unions)
- National, regional and local authorities
Thematic categories
Transparency and portability of VET skills and qualifications
European principles and tools, such as EQF, ESCO, ECTS, Europass and ECVET, provide a strong basis for transparency and portability of national and sectoral qualifications across Europe, including the issuing of digital diplomas and certificates.
This thematic category looks at how individuals are supported in transferring, accumulating, and validating skills and competences acquired in formal, non-formal and informal settings – including learning on the job – and in having their learning recognised towards a qualification at any point of their lives. This is only possible if qualifications are transparent and comparable and are part of comprehensive national qualifications frameworks. Availability of qualifications smaller than full and acquirable in shorter periods of time is necessary; some countries have recently worked on developing partial qualifications, microcredentials, etc.
This thematic sub-category refers to the development and implementation of qualifications that are smaller than full qualifications (alternative credentials) or are acquired in a shorter learning experience. It includes microcredentials, partial qualifications, units of learning outcomes (ECVET principle), digital badges, etc. These are owned by learners and can be combined or not to get a full qualification.
Supporting lifelong learning culture and increasing participation
Lifelong learning refers to all learning (formal, non-formal or informal) taking place at all stages in life and resulting in an improvement or update in knowledge, skills, competences and attitudes or in participation in society from a personal, civic, cultural, social or employment-related perspective (Erasmus+, Glossary of terms, https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/programme-guide/part-d/glossary-common-terms). A systemic approach to CVET is crucial to ensure adaptability to evolving demands.
This broad thematic category looks at ways of creating opportunities and ensuring access to re-skilling and upskilling pathways, allowing individuals to progress smoothly in their learning throughout their lives with better permeability between general and vocational education and training, and better integration and compatibility between initial and continuing VET and with higher education. Individuals should be supported in acquiring and updating their skills and competences and navigating easily through education and training systems. Strategies and campaigns that promote VET and LLL as an attractive and high-quality pathway, providing quality lifelong guidance and tailored support to design learning and career paths, and various incentives (financial and non-financial) to attract and support participation in VET and LLL fall into this thematic category as well.
This thematic category also includes many initiatives on making VET inclusive and ensuring equal education and training opportunities for various groups of learners, regardless of their personal and economic background and place of residence – especially those at risk of disadvantage or exclusion, such as persons with disabilities, the low-skilled and low-qualified, minorities, migrants, refugees and others.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing the possibility for individuals who are already in the labour market/in employment to reskill and/or acquire higher levels of skills, and to ensuring targeted information resources on the benefits of CVET and lifelong learning. It also covers the availability of CVET programmes adaptable to labour market, sectoral or individual up- and reskilling needs. The sub-category includes working with respective stakeholders to develop digital learning solutions supporting access to CVET opportunities and awarding CVET credentials and certificates.
This thematic sub-category refers to making VET pathways and programmes inclusive and accessible for all. It concerns measures and targeted actions to increase access and participation in VET and lifelong learning for learners from all vulnerable groups, and to support their school/training-to-work transitions. It includes measures to prevent early leaving from education and training. The thematic sub-category covers measures promoting gender balance in traditionally ‘male’ and ‘female’ professions and addressing gender-related and other stereotypes. The vulnerable groups are, but not limited to: persons with disabilities; the low-qualified/-skilled; minorities; persons of migrant background, including refugees; people with fewer opportunities due to their geographical location and/or their socioeconomically disadvantaged circumstances.
European and international dimensions of VET
This thematic category covers both European and international cooperation in initial and continuing VET, aimed at promoting EU VET systems as a European education and training area and making it a reference for learners in neighbouring countries and across the globe.
Expanding opportunities and increasing participation of VET learners, young and adult, and staff in international mobility for learning and work, including apprenticeship and virtual and blended mobility, account for most initiatives in this thematic category.
Apart from established and financially supported EU cooperation, VET opens up to cooperation and promotion of European values and national practices beyond the EU, which is becoming a trend. This thematic category also encompasses internationalisation strategies, transnational cooperation projects and initiatives – including those where joint VET programmes, examinations and qualifications are developed – and participation in international skills competitions that promote the image of VET. Using international qualifications – awarded by legally established international bodies or by a national body acting on behalf of an international body – in the national VET systems and recognising them towards national qualifications is also in focus.
This thematic sub-category refers to developing internationalisation strategies supporting a strategic approach to international cooperation in VET and lifelong learning, including going beyond the EU.
This thematic sub-category refers to providing opportunities for, implementing and increasing rates of, learning mobility of VET and adult learners and staff, including virtual mobility, apprenticeship placements, long-duration mobility and mobility to third countries, in line with national regulations, collective agreements and health and safety provisions. It also includes the provision of information about mobility, support structures and tools, strengthening the quality of mobility experiences and recognition of learning outcomes acquired abroad, including with the use of relevant EU tools, e.g. memoranda of understanding or learning agreements (ECVET elements).
This thematic sub-category applies to using in a country, qualifications awarded by a legally established international body (association, organisation, sector or company) or by a national body acting on behalf of an international body. International qualifications are used in more than one country and include learning outcomes assessed with reference to standards established by an international body (Council Recommendation on the European qualifications framework for lifelong learning, 2017). Some examples include the Microsoft or Cisco certificates in the ICT sector, the European e-competence framework for ICT professionals, and International Welders Federation qualifications (Cedefop, 2018).
European priorities in VET
VET Recommendation
- VET agile in adapting to labour market challenges
- VET promoting equality of opportunities
Osnabrück Declaration
- Resilience and excellence through quality, inclusive and flexible VET
- European Education and Training Area and international VET
Subsystem
Further reading
Country
Type of development
Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2026). Second Skilled Immigration Act (2023-24): Germany. In Cedefop, & ReferNet. (2026). Timeline of VET policies in Europe (2025 update) [Online tool].
https://www.cedefop.europa.eu/en/tools/timeline-vet-policies-europe/search/50175