Update – August 7, 2024: As expected, the
indefinite extension of the program went into effect in November
2023. However, the quota increase (from 25,000 to 50,000) went into
effect on June 1, 2024 (as opposed to late 2023).
July 6, 2023:Germany's Parliament has
passed a bill that will extend indefinitely its 'Western
Balkans Regulations', which were set to expire by the end of
2023. These regulations allow nationals of Albania, Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Kosovo, the Republic of Northern Macedonia,
Montenegro, and Serbia access to temporary work visas in Germany,
provided that the applicant has a job offer from a German employer.
The bill – which will come into force at the earliest by
November 18, 2023 - will raise the annual quota for these
individuals from 25,000 to 50,000. These developments come amid
broader German efforts to address a skilled labor shortage that is
slowing economic growth.
