Attention Indians seeking employment in Germany; Important visa update for skilled workers

Good news for Indians seeking employment in Germany: the processing time for long-term visas for Indian skilled workers has been drastically reduced from nine months to just two weeks. This update was reported by Schengen News, quoting Germany's Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, who emphasized the urgent need for skilled workers in the country as the reason behind the expedited processing.

The German Economic Institute reports that Germany is facing approximately 570,000 job vacancies in 2023. The lengthy visa processing times have been a significant hurdle, prolonging the training period for those applying for these positions. Additionally, Indian companies investing in Germany have been pushing for faster visa procedures to facilitate the relocation of their skilled workers.

According to data from the Federal Foreign Office, Germany issued 80,000 employment-related visas from January to June 2024. In a move to strengthen diplomatic ties, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar welcomed German MPs Jürgen Hardt and Ralf Brinkhaus to India on August 14.

On August 13, German Ambassador Philipp Ackermann participated in the joint military exercise 'Tarang Shakti' in Sulur, Tamil Nadu. This marks the first time the German Air Force has conducted a joint exercise with the Indian Air Force.