In 2024, significantly more visas were issued in Germany for skilled workers than in the previous year. According to initial projections, the number of visas for employment purposes rose by ten percent year-on-year to around 174,000. If the figures prove to be correct, this would be a new record.

With the exception of the coronavirus year 2020, the number itself has been rising steadily since 2019. Among the five major countries of origin, Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina were represented in every year between 2019 and 2023, and India and Kosovo were represented in four out of five years.

Apparently, Germany is becoming increasingly successful in attracting skilled workers from outside Europe. Economic researchers consider the immigration of skilled workers from third countries to be important in order to meet the needs of companies.

According to the German Economic Institute, 62 per cent of the increase in employment between 2022 and 2023 will be due to workers from non-EU countries and only 14 per cent to German workers.