BERLIN, Germany (Diya TV) — Germany has agreed to increase the highly skilled Indian professionals visa quota by 30% — to 90,000 — as part of a comprehensive plan to resolve critical labor shortages in the country. This move also forms part of the German government’s policy on establishing international partnerships and economic growth.
German industry suffers with an acute labor shortage in sectors such as information technology, healthcare and engineering. This policy shift coincides with India’s Viksit Bharat initiative which aims to strengthen the ties and bring skilled Indian workers to Germany, the Economic Times reported.
This initiative aims to make India an economically developed country by 2047 through sustainable economic growth, social development, and global partnerships.
The German government has approved the new Immigration Act for Skilled Workers, starting from March 2024. It has relaxed its norms for skilled workers from outside European countries. Going forward, Indians no longer require formal recognition of their qualifications if they have a minimum two years’ experience in the relevant field. Changes in regulations are expected to bring in a significant quantum of talent from India.
To complement these policy changes, there are also collaborative efforts by the German government in making the transition a little easier for Indian workers. For example, there will be job fairs in India in which the German employers shall connect directly with the potential employee. The government is going to provide for language courses that shall enable good integration into the society of Germany.
In a recent address, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed for the importance of these developments, saying: “We have made a roadmap of Viksit Bharat in the coming 25 years. I am happy that at this important time, the German cabinet has released the ‘Focus on India’ document.Germany has decided to increase the visa number for the skilled Indian workforce from 20,000 to 90,000. It will give a new pace to Germany’s growth”.
This statement highlights both the strategic direction that two governments take and the benefits of such an initiative.
More than 137,000 Indian professionals find employment in skilled positions within Germany, a number almost six-fold higher than there were at the end of 2015. The median gross monthly income for Indian employees in Germany is around €5,400, as compared with the average locally paid workers.
Comparative to the national average of 7.1 percent, an extreme contrast is easily found in the unemployment rate of Indians in Germany, as it currently stands at 3.7 percent, indicating successful integration by Indian professionals in the German labor market.
German officials have been pushing the country to take in skilled Indian workers for its economic welfare. Labor Minister Hubertus Heil said that the country needs an intake of skilled talent to solve all the issues brought by an aging population. As millions of young workers enter India’s labor market, this partnership has great scope for both countries’ advantages.
Because the two countries are preparing to enter into closer economic relations, future diplomatic interactions will hence stress increasing employment opportunities in both countries and even work out administrative barriers that would discourage potential migrants. This partnership is aimed at strengthening the economy of Germany as well as promising Indian career opportunities abroad.
