Germany's skilled labour strategy for India, two years on
Two years ago, Germany's cabinet approved a dedicated Skilled Labour Strategy for India with 30 measures. The headline: up to 90,000 visas a year for skilled Indians, up from about 20,000.
What the strategy covers
The strategy approved on 16 October 2024 sets out measures in several areas:
- Faster visas: digital applications and more efficient processing at German missions in India
- Recognition: quicker recognition of Indian qualifications
- Language: more German teaching in India, including in schools
- Matching: job fairs and career counselling, including for Indian students in Germany
- Integration: making Germany more welcoming for new arrivals
It builds on the India–Germany Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement of December 2022.
The context
About 138,000 qualified Indian workers already live in Germany, according to the German Economic Institute, which has estimated that Germany's skilled worker gap would be about a fifth larger without Indian migration. Indians are also one of the largest groups of international students in German universities.
What to do with this
- Visa processing for skilled workers has become more digital, but appointment demand remains high.
- German language remains the deciding factor for most non-IT roles.
- The Opportunity Card gives a route for qualified people without an offer.
If you are considering Germany, start German classes now and get your qualification checked against the anabin database.
Read next
- Working in GermanyEurope's most structured routes for skilled Indians. German widens your options.
- Germany's Opportunity CardA year in Germany to find work, and how the points system works.
- Learning German from IndiaHow long it takes to reach B1 or B2 German from India, which certificates count, where to learn, and how to combine classes with a job.
