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