Berlin urgently needs Indian skilled workers: Giffey warns of visa problem!

Berlin urgently needs Indian skilled workers: Giffey warns of visa problem!

The city of Berlin is keen to attract new skilled workers – especially from India. Economics Senator Franziska Giffey recently made an urgent call for expanding business with Indian partners. She predicts that the need for skilled workers in Berlin is currently around 90,000 and could rise to around 400,000 in the coming years. In view of these figures, it is clear that without skilled workers from abroad it will be difficult to close this gap, and Berlin does not want to hold back.

A central issue that Giffey addresses is the oppressive bureaucracy that makes it difficult for Indian skilled workers to come to Germany. She calls for “less bureaucracy and more of a welcoming culture,” because some Indian applicants wait months before a visa is issued. These long waiting times have a deterrent effect, and Giffey makes it clear that Germany appears untrustworthy when it recruits skilled workers but does not handle the visa process efficiently.

Skilled labor strategy for India

In order to meet this challenge, the Federal Cabinet decided on a skilled workers strategy with a focus on India in October 2024. This strategy, which by Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs and the Federal Foreign Office, includes thirty concrete measures to improve the recruitment of skilled workers. This includes, among other things, reducing bureaucratic hurdles and digitizing visa procedures for Indian skilled workers.

The strategy also envisages intensifying German lessons in India and organizing job fairs through the Federal Employment Agency. This is intended to help Indian students and skilled workers to be better integrated into the German labor market. It is also impressive that the number of Indians in Germany who are subject to social security contributions has doubled since 2020. These specialists are often highly qualified and earn quite well compared to other professional groups in Germany.

Welcome culture in focus

But it's not just the bureaucratic hurdles that have to be overcome. Giffey also looked at the concerns of young Indians who are concerned about the current welcoming culture in Germany, especially with regard to the shift to the right and the AfD. She wants India to recognize how important and welcome skilled workers are there. A planned overseas office in Bengaluru, scheduled to open in 2026, will certainly help reinforce this message.

With a clear focus on the future and an open attitude towards Indian skilled workers, Berlin not only wants to increase its economic dynamism, but also ensure that the best talents choose a new start in Germany. It is undisputed that time is of the essence.