From 9 months to 2 weeks: Germany announces dramatic cut in visa processing time for skilled workers from India

The German government has cut the visa processing time for skilled workers from India, reducing the waiting period for long-term visas from nine months to just two weeks, according to a report by Schengen Visa News.

This development was confirmed by Germany’s Foreign Minister, who pointed out that through this effort, the government aims to address the extended wait times faced by 4,00,000 individuals applying for national visas.

"In India, in Delhi, we have thus been able to reduce waiting times for national visas to two weeks. That used to take nine months," said Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock. She also mentioned that the Federal Agency for Foreign Affairs is currently the largest visa office for national visas worldwide, emphasising the urgent need for skilled workers.

The swift issuance of visas is crucial for German businesses, particularly in mitigating labour shortages for training programmes and conferences. Indian companies investing in Germany also rely on expedited visa processing to ensure that their specialists can be deployed without delay, states the report.

Germany’s need for new workers is pressing, with the German Institute (IW) reporting 5,70,000 job vacancies in 2023. This labour shortage is a significant challenge for the country’s economy, which could see more rapid growth with an expanded workforce.

Faster visa processing is seen as a key factor in bringing workers to Germany and revitalising its struggling economy. The IW has projected a potential loss in production amounting to €74 billion by 2027 if the workforce gap is not addressed.

Source : https://www.msn.com/en-in/news/India/from-9-months-to-2-weeks-germany-announces-dramatic-cut-in-visa-processing-time-for-skilled-workers-from-india/ar-AA1oQCtx?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=a0f5abbc99a54ecd990c30e47d39831a&ei=14