Overview

• Labor Minister Bärbel Bas sent an Eckpunkte paper on the new Work‑and‑Stay Agency into inter‑ministerial coordination on October 6.
• The proposed one‑stop digital portal would let applicants file for residence permits, upload documents and retrieve decisions, with employers, including small firms, able to assist.
• The agency would not decide recognition of foreign degrees, but it aims to serve as a central submission point while Länder and chambers retain authority.
• A central data hub would link visa offices and the Federal Employment Agency, with the ministry pledging high data‑protection standards.
• Officials cite persistent bottlenecks across multiple authorities, including 549 local foreigners’ offices, despite recent liberalization and rising work visas, with businesses criticizing slow paper‑based procedures.