Overview
- The interior and labor ministries announced a central office to open in autumn 2026 at the Darmstadt regional authority to handle skilled-worker immigration.
- The office will run a Fast Lane procedure that aims to cut processing to four months or less and give employers and recruits clear timelines.
- The office will vet job contracts, income and language certificates, start recognition of degrees, and issue pre-approval for visa checks at German missions.
- The service targets non-EU professionals with recognized qualifications in fields such as nursing and IT, which the state says face acute gaps.
- The new route is optional alongside local foreigner offices, and the FDP is pressing for binding three-month deadlines.