Skilled Worker Visa: Everything You Need to Know
As Germany continues to face a growing shortage of qualified professionals, international recruitment is becoming not just an option, but a strategic necessity. The Skilled Worker Visa (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz) provides a legal pathway for companies to recruit highly qualified individuals from outside the EU — whether they hold an academic degree, vocational qualification, or extensive work experience.
This guide is designed to support employers in understanding who qualifies, what recognition is required, and how to successfully relocate international talent to Germany.
What is the Skilled Worker Visa?
The Skilled Worker Visa enables non-EU nationals to live and work in Germany in regulated or non-regulated professions. It is part of Germany's strategy to combat labor shortages across sectors such as healthcare, engineering, IT, construction, skilled trades, and logistics.
Under the visa, "skilled workers" are defined in three categories:
Academic professionals
Vocationally trained specialists
Professionals with relevant work experience (in selected cases)
Key Distinctions from the EU Blue Card:
Compared to the EU Blue Card, the Skilled Worker Visa offers broader eligibility, making it accessible to individuals with vocational training, not just academic degrees. It provides more flexibility in terms of salary thresholds, though the compensation must still meet appropriate standards. Unlike the Blue Card, the Skilled Worker Visa typically requires Labour Market Approval (LMA) from the Federal Employment Agency, which reviews the job offer for wage and labor conditions. Recognition of foreign qualifications—whether vocational or academic—is also mandatory. This visa pathway is particularly suitable for employers looking to hire technicians, skilled tradespeople, or healthcare workers who hold non-academic qualifications, candidates with recognized vocational training, or experienced professionals who may not have formal degrees but bring significant industry-specific expertise.
Candidates with a Recognized Academic Degree
These are individuals who hold a university-level degree from outside Germany. However, it’s not enough to simply have a degree; it must be:
Comparable to a German academic degree
Formally recognized via the Anabin database or by the Zentralstelle für ausländisches Bildungswesen (ZAB)
Relevant to the occupation in which the individual will be employed
Academic recognition can be a bottleneck if the degree is from an unlisted or partially equivalent institution, which may require additional documentation or assessments.
Candidates with Recognized Vocational Training
Germany's dual vocational system is unique, and candidates with completed vocational training abroad can qualify only if:
The training lasted at least two years
It is equivalent to a German qualification
It has been officially recognized by the IHK FOSA or a similar authority
Recognition is not automatic — even if the training is robust, it must meet Germany’s formal standards in content, duration, and structure.
Candidates with Work Experience (Alternative Route)
In certain sectors, especially those where practical skills are prioritized, individuals without formal degrees or vocational certificates may still qualify — based on extensive work experience. This path may be considered if:
The person has several years of relevant, documented experience
Their skills align with current labor market needs
An employer can demonstrate the role matches the person’s expertise
This route is often more complex and typically requires additional proof such as employment records, detailed CVs, references, or job-specific assessments.
Labour Market Approval (LMA): A Critical Step
Unlike the Blue Card, most Skilled Worker Visa applications require a Labour Market Approval (Zustimmung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit). This is a mandatory review process where the Federal Employment Agency checks whether the working conditions and salary match German standards.
What You Need to Know:
LMA adds time to the relocation process (typically several weeks)
You must ensure the offered salary meets or exceeds local wage standards.
To pass the LMA and ensure fair employment conditions, employers must demonstrate that they are offering an appropriate salary.
The Federal Employment Agency uses the Entgeltatlas — a publicly accessible tool — to evaluate regional and occupational salary benchmarks
Failure to meet salary expectations is one of the most common reasons for delays or rejections in Skilled Worker Visa approvals.
Family Reunification: An Advantage for Talent Retention
Employees granted a Skilled Worker Visa may bring their spouse and children to Germany under family reunification rules.
From a company perspective:
Supporting family relocation can enhance retention
Spouses often receive unrestricted work permits, making relocation more sustainable
Children can attend local or international schools
Providing guidance or partnerships for family relocation services is a competitive advantage in the international talent market.
Key Obstacles Employers Should Anticipate
Qualification recognition is a mandatory step for both academic and vocational credentials and is often one of the most time-consuming and bureaucratic parts of the process. Without formal recognition, applicants cannot qualify for the Skilled Worker Visa, regardless of their experience or skill level.
Labour Market Approval introduces an additional legal review by the Federal Employment Agency, which assesses whether the job offer meets local wage and employment standards. This step can lead to delays, especially if the salary offered is not in line with regional benchmarks or if the job description lacks clarity or sufficient detail.
How We Support Your Skilled Worker Hiring
We help simplify the Skilled Worker Visa process by assisting with qualification recognition, salary benchmarking, and Labour Market Approval. Our relocation services also support candidates and their families with housing and integration, making your international hires smoother and faster.
Legal Disclaimer: The information provided here and on relokate’s website is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice.