02
Feb 2026
Germany is facing a skilled worker shortage as baby boomers retire and hospitals, schools, and IT firms lack staff. Hiring from abroad is slowing in Germany due to visa delays and local migration offices short on staff.
Nurses train fast in India
In Chennai, groups of nurses are learning German in accelerated courses designed to prepare them for work in Germany.
The training is funded by the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, while private recruitment agencies connect candidates with German employers. Many participants plan to move abroad after completing their qualifications.
Germany relies on these programs as it faces a shortage of workers in health care, education, and technology. Economists at the Institute for Employment Research estimate that the country needs about 300,000 skilled workers each year to maintain current staffing levels.
The gap is widening as the baby boomer generation leaves the workforce and fewer young workers enter.
Bureaucracy slows hiring
Even with demand rising, Germany’s immigration system remains slow.
Migrants often wait months to secure visas or update their residence permits. Local migration offices are understaffed, and processing times vary widely by region.
Foreign graduates who study in Germany also face delays when shifting from student status to employment. These backlogs affect sectors already short on staff, including hospitals and research institutions, where roles can sit unfilled while paperwork moves through the system.
(Image courtesy of Karolina Grabowska via Pexels)
Refugees, workers overlap
Germany’s migration authorities handle both labor migration and asylum applications.
In recent years, large numbers of refugees from conflicts in Syria and Ukraine have entered the country, adding pressure to an already strained system. Applications for work permits and asylum are processed through the same offices.
Federal data shows about 160,000 foreign residents are classified as skilled workers. At the same time, many refugees remain outside the labor market, contributing to public debate over immigration management and integration.
Clinics rely on agencies
To fill staffing gaps, hospitals increasingly turn to recruitment agencies.
Clinics pay thousands of euros per placement to bring in nurses from countries like India and Sri Lanka. These workers usually arrive on fixed contracts and must complete language and licensing requirements before starting full duties.
Credential recognition remains a major hurdle. Rules differ across Germany’s 16 states, which can extend hiring timelines to several months.
Some employers have started apprenticeship programs that bring workers to Germany earlier, reducing the need for foreign qualification reviews.
(Image courtesy of Liudmila Chernetska via iStock)
Staying proves difficult
Many foreign workers leave Germany after their initial contracts end.
Reasons include family ties, cultural adjustment, and long waits for permanent residence. Other destinations with faster residency pathways compete for the same talent pool.
Employers and legal professionals have called for faster processing and more consistent rules across regions. Without changes, retention remains as challenging as recruitment.
Travel rules tighten entry
Changes at the EU level may also affect how workers and visitors enter the region.
The Entry/Exit System began rolling out in October 2025 and is set for full implementation by April 2026. The system records the entry and exit of non-EU nationals using biometric data, replacing passport stamps and monitoring short stays across the Schengen area.
In late 2026, the European Travel Information and Authorization System is expected to launch. Travelers from visa-exempt countries will need online authorization before entering most EU countries for short stays.
While ETIAS does not apply to long-term work visas, it adds another screening step for short-term visitors and job seekers entering the EU.
(Image courtesy of Tony Studio via iStock)
Policy pressure builds
Germany’s skilled worker shortage reflects a broader challenge across the European Union. As member states compete for foreign talent, slow processing and uneven national rules risk pushing workers toward countries with simpler systems.
EU-wide tools like EES and ETIAS may improve border data sharing, but they do not address labor visa delays at the national level. Without faster pathways into work and residency, Germany and other EU states may continue to struggle to attract and retain skilled migrants.
Many come, fewer stay
Germany continues to recruit workers from abroad to fill critical roles, but administrative delays and rigid rules limit the impact. As demand rises and migration systems tighten, the gap between available jobs and available workers is likely to remain.