Easing regulations for the immigration of foreign skilled workers has been a goal of Germany in order to counter the rising labor shortage. According to the German government, this year around 200,000 work-related visas are expected to be issued, representing an increase of over ten percent compared to the previous year. There has been particularly strong growth in visas for studying, vocational training, and recognizing foreign qualifications. A first step was the reform of the Skilled Workers Immigration Act that has been in effect for a year, allowing skilled workers to come to Germany more quickly and get started. Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock also highlighted that application processing is centralized at the largest visa office for skilled workers in Brandenburg an der Havel and that efforts will be made to advance digitalization to make the process even easier. In addition, since March this year, skilled workers with qualifications and work experience can enter Germany without prior recognition procedures if they have a job offer with a gross annual salary of at least €40,770.

In Berlin, Governing Mayor, Kai Wegner, also advocates for easier access to the labor market for refugees. He emphasized that „integration is best achieved through prompt employment and learning the German language,“ indicating that current regulations need to be rethought. Wegner highlighted some positive changes, such as allowing refugees in initial reception facilities to work after six months instead of nine, and confirming that tolerated individuals can generally work as well. However, he expressed concern about the significant number of refugees still unable to find employment despite a labor shortage. To address this issue, he called for promoting the employment of asylum seekers in community service roles and urged the federal government to reduce legal barriers for refugees who have a prospect of staying.