The second stage of the new Immigration Act for Skilled Workers
came into force on 1 March 2024. The new regulations make it easier
to employ skilled workers with professional experience from outside
the EU. Furthermore, short-term employment of foreign workers is
possible in sectors with high demand.
These new regulations concern, among other things, residence for
the recognition of a foreign professional qualification. Even if
their qualification is not formally recognized in Germany, foreign
skilled workers are permitted to work in non-regulated professions
in Germany. Prerequisites are at least two years of professional
experience and a vocational or university degree recognized by the
state in the country of origin. In these cases, the employer must
comply with a salary threshold or be bound by a collective
agreement. For those with professional experience, the foreign
professional qualification no longer has to be recognized in
Germany.
