Germany Skilled Worker Immigration Law: What HR Leaders Need to Know

The skilled worker immigration law (Skilled Workers Immigration Act, or FEG) in Germany has created new opportunities for employers, easing requirements for skilled workers to migrate and settle long-term.

This law is a major step in addressing national talent shortages in critical sectors such as IT, where sources reported 149,000 unfilled positions.

Simplifying access to skilled talent

A core focus of the Act is attracting skilled professionals through simplified visas and more flexible qualification requirements.

Key updates include:

• Digitized visa processes that speed up hiring
• Recognition-on-the-job pathways to reduce onboarding timelines
• Expanded eligibility for IT professionals with 3+ years of experience, even without a college degree

These changes provide employers access to a global talent pool, helping them fill roles more efficiently.

The Opportunity Card

The new Opportunity Card is a points-based visa that enables skilled individuals to enter Germany without a job offer.

This means employers can now recruit from both abroad and within Germany’s growing community of international professionals.

Implications for HR

While the Act has streamlined visa procedures and reduced processing times, it’s also increased HR responsibilities, particularly around:

• Documentation and compliance tracking
• Meeting deadlines for recognition of foreign qualifications
• Coordinating with immigration authorities

To manage these requirements, many companies are investing in digital systems to ensure accuracy and compliance.

Key considerations for employers

HR teams must stay current on evolving regulations, including:

• Reduced salary thresholds for shortage occupations
• Verification of degree recognition for Blue Card hires before contracts are signed
• Ensuring Opportunity Card hires meet criteria and salary thresholds
• Regularly updating internal policies in line with legislative changes

Failure to comply can result in fines or even visa revocations, making accuracy and proactive planning essential.

Onboarding as a retention strategy

Successful onboarding plays a crucial role in retaining international talent.

Structured programs focused on language training and cultural orientation help employees integrate quicker and provide them with the tools needed to succeed.

Looking ahead

For employers, this legislation represents more than just new hiring pathways; it’s an opportunity to build resilient, diverse teams that drive innovation and growth.

Companies that embrace international talent and invest in robust onboarding will be best positioned to succeed.

About the Author: Emmanouela Kagioukli - International HR Consultant at IRIS 

Emmanouela is an International HR Consultant at IRIS, with an MSc in Human Resources Management. A CIPD Associate and certified Change Management Practitioner, she combines hands-on experience with strategic insight in every project.

Having lived and worked across multiple countries, Emmanouela brings a truly global perspective to her work. Her multilingual fluency and ability to navigate complex cultural environments enable her to design and implement HR solutions that resonate with diverse teams and international markets.

With deep expertise in both operational and strategic HR, she is dedicated to helping organizations attract, develop, and retain top talent in today’s dynamic business environment. Her solution-oriented mindset and people-first leadership make her a trusted advisor to businesses navigating the evolving world of work.

Conclusion: Germany – Playing Catch-Up in the Global Talent War

By: Dan J Grace, Director of IRIS HR Consulting Services 

It’s great to read Emmanouela’s insights. Personally, I see the New Skilled Immigration Act as a necessary but ultimately insufficient response to Germany’s demographic crisis—one that piles even more work onto HR teams in an already overly bureaucratic employment market.

Let me be blunt: while the Act represents progress, it’s essentially Germany playing catch-up with countries that recognized the global talent war years ago. The 10,000 Opportunity Cards issued in early 2025 might sound impressive, but Canada’s Express Entry system processes that many applications in weeks, not months. Germany is starting this race well behind.

The recognition-on-the-job pathway is genuinely innovative, fixing a glaring blind spot: the obsession with formal qualifications that excluded highly capable professionals. I’ve seen brilliant software engineers from India and Brazil rejected because their degrees didn’t align perfectly with German standards, even though their skills far exceeded local graduates. This flexibility is long overdue.

But the real challenge isn’t legislative—it’s cultural. Germany still struggles to create an environment that’s truly welcoming to international talent. Even when companies manage to recruit, retention is abysmal. The bureaucratic maze doesn’t end with visa approval—it continues with apartment hunting that demands endless documentation, banking headaches, and social integration hurdles the Act doesn’t touch.

The strain on HR is being seriously underestimated. I’m seeing clients allocate two or three additional FTEs just for immigration compliance, not even counting the soft costs of integration support. For Germany’s Mittelstand—the small and mid-sized businesses that form its backbone—this level of resourcing simply isn’t realistic.

What worries me most is the gap between the 60,000 annual target and the projected 7 million worker shortage by 2035. This isn’t a solution—it’s a Band-Aid. Germany needs to multiply these numbers by three or four while also addressing why 30–40% of international hires leave within three years.

Yes, lowering salary thresholds for shortage occupations helps, but how do you compete with Silicon Valley salaries accessible via remote work? Why would a skilled developer move to Munich when they can work for a U.S. company from Lisbon or Dubai—with better weather and lower taxes?

Here’s the hard truth: the Act assumes people want to come to Germany. But Germany’s employer brand has weakened. Language barriers, rigid work culture, and suffocating bureaucracy are major deterrents. Meanwhile, countries like the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Portugal are eating Germany’s lunch when it comes to attracting global talent.

That said, there is opportunity here. Forward-thinking companies that invest in robust onboarding, cultural integration, and genuine diversity initiatives will gain a first-mover advantage. Those treating this purely as a compliance exercise will fall behind; those embracing it as strategic transformation will thrive.

My advice to clients is clear: use the Act as a catalyst for a broader talent strategy. Build recruitment pipelines in target countries, provide pre-boarding support locally, and foster international communities inside your organization. Go beyond language basics—support families, children’s education, and spousal careers.

The Skilled Immigration Act provides new tools. But the outcome will hinge on execution. Companies that move now to build world-class international talent infrastructure will gain a decisive edge. Those that wait—or reduce this to an HR checkbox exercise—will watch competitors win the best global talent.