Is It Legal to Hire Workers from India or the Philippines for Germany?

Why Are German Employers Asking This - Is There Really a Labour Shortage?

The question exists because German employers are desperate for workers. The scale of the shortage is documented at the federal level.

The Federal Employment Agency describes the situation plainly: for every 3 unemployed people registered in Germany, there is only 1 open vacancy in shortage occupations. The labour gap is structural - it is driven by an ageing population retiring faster than young Germans enter the workforce.

This is why Germany redesigned its entire immigration system. The 2024 Skilled Immigration Act is not a temporary policy - it is a permanent structural change to keep Germany's economy running.

What Changed in the 2024 Skilled Immigration Act That Makes Hiring Easier

The 2024 reform of the Skilled Immigration Act introduced changes that directly remove the barriers that previously made international hiring slow, expensive, and complicated for employers. Here is what changed and what it means for you as a German employer.

Qualification recognition is no longer always required

Under the old law, every overseas worker's degree or qualification had to be formally recognised as equivalent to a German qualification before they could work. This process could take 6–12 months and was the single biggest bottleneck. Under the 2024 Act, workers in non-regulated occupations who have at least two years of relevant professional experience and meet the salary threshold can work without prior qualification recognition. The recognition process can now be completed after the worker arrives in Germany.

German language is no longer a barrier for most roles

The requirement to demonstrate German language skills has been removed from the EU Blue Card application process. This means skilled workers from India and the Philippines can apply for the most desirable German work visa without first learning German. For regulated professions like nursing, basic language requirements still apply, but at a lower threshold than before.

Professional experience is now a standalone pathway

For the first time, Germany introduced a work visa track based purely on professional experience - not just academic qualifications. A worker with a state-recognised vocational qualification from their home country, at least two years of experience, and a qualifying salary offer can now move to Germany. This opened the door for a large segment of skilled workers from India and the Philippines who hold technical certificates rather than university degrees.

The EU Blue Card now covers IT professionals without degrees

Previously, the EU Blue Card was restricted to university graduates. The 2024 reform extended it to IT specialists with at least three years of professional experience in a comparable role - even without a degree. The lower salary threshold for shortage occupations applies, set at €41,041 gross per year for 2024.

Fast-track procedure cuts processing time to weeks

The Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren (accelerated skilled worker procedure) allows employers to initiate visa processing centrally in Germany before the worker even applies at an embassy. Under this system, Indian applicants have received approvals in as little as two weeks, compared to waiting periods that previously stretched to nine months.

Every one of these five changes directly applies to workers from India and the Philippines. They are not general policy updates - they were designed specifically to open Germany's labour market to qualified professionals from countries like these. The next two sections show exactly how each change works in practice, broken down separately for Indian workers and Filipino workers, so you know precisely what the process looks like for your specific hiring situation.

Hiring Workers from India to Germany - What Employers Need to Know

India is Germany's most significant non-EU recruitment source. The relationship between the two countries on labour migration has been formalised, expanded and actively promoted at the government level.

Germany and India signed a Migration and Mobility Partnership Agreement in 2022. Under this agreement, both governments committed to simplifying visa processing, mutual qualification recognition, and labour market access. The 2024 Skilled Immigration Act was built in alignment with this partnership.

Which visa types are available for Indian workers?

EU Blue Card:

For university graduates with a qualifying job offer. The minimum salary threshold for general roles is approximately €45,300 gross per year. For shortage occupations including IT, engineering, healthcare and mathematics, the threshold is €41,041. The EU Blue Card offers the fastest path to permanent residency - 21 months with B2 German language skills or 33 months without.

Skilled Worker Visa:

For workers with a state-recognised vocational or academic qualification. This is the standard work visa and covers the widest range of professions. The worker must have a job offer and a recognised or recognisable qualification.

Professional Experience Visa:

For workers without a formally recognised qualification but with at least two years of professional experience in a relevant field, a state-approved vocational certificate from their home country and a salary that meets German collective agreement standards.

Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte):

Introduced in June 2024, this points-based visa allows qualified professionals to enter Germany to look for a job without a prior employment contract. It uses a scoring system based on qualifications, work experience, language skills, age and connection to Germany. It does not require employer sponsorship at entry stage.

Germany work visa comparison - which pathway is right for your worker?

Top sectors hiring Indian workers in Germany

The following five sectors have the highest active vacancy rates for Indian workers in Germany as of 2024. These are the roles where German employers are actively sponsoring work visas and where qualification recognition is either waived or fast-tracked under the current Skilled Immigration Act.

• Information technology and software engineering - Germany has over 137,000 unfilled IT roles. Indian software engineers and developers are among the most placed professionals under the EU Blue Card pathway.

• Healthcare and nursing - including a recognition partnership pathway that allows Indian - qualified nurses to begin working immediately while formal German recognition is processed in parallel.

• Engineering - mechanical, civil, and electrical - particularly in manufacturing regions including Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg and North Rhine-Westphalia.

• Manufacturing and production - semi-skilled and skilled factory roles where the professional experience visa pathway applies, removing the degree requirement entirely.

• Scientific research and academia - universities and research institutions actively recruit Indian professionals under separate academic visa provisions.

Sector demand by country - roles, demand level and average salary range in Germany

Hiring Workers from the Philippines to Germany - The Employer's Process

The Philippines is one of Germany's most established overseas recruitment sources, particularly for healthcare, hospitality, and maritime roles. Filipino workers are recognised internationally for professional discipline, English fluency and adaptability - qualities that address two major German employer concerns simultaneously: skill level and communication.

Germany has a bilateral social security agreement with the Philippines. This agreement determines how contributions to pension, healthcare and unemployment insurance are handled when Filipino workers are employed under German contracts, preventing double contributions and protecting workers' rights.

Most in-demand roles for Filipino workers in Germany

The following roles represent the sectors where German employers most actively recruit workers from the Philippines as of 2024. Filipino professionals are specifically sought in these areas because of internationally recognised qualification standards, English language fluency, and established bilateral agreements between Germany and the Philippines that streamline placement.

• Nursing and elderly care - the single highest-demand sector for Filipino workers in Germany. Germany has tens of thousands of unfilled nursing positions and Filipino nursing qualifications are formally recognised by several German federal states under bilateral recognition agreements.

• Medical professionals - doctors, specialist physicians and allied health staff. German hospitals and private medical groups actively sponsor Filipino medical professionals directly.

• Hospitality and hotel management - particularly in tourism-heavy regions. Filipino hospitality workers are recognised for service standards that align with German employer expectations.

• Maritime and seafaring roles - the Philippines is one of the world's largest suppliers of maritime professionals. Germany's shipping sector recruits directly from Filipino maritime academies.

• Domestic and caregiving services - elderly home care and live-in caregiving roles, where demand is growing fastest due to Germany's ageing population demographic.

Qualification recognition for Filipino healthcare workers

For regulated professions such as nursing, Filipino workers require formal qualification recognition before practising independently. However, the 2024 recognition partnership allows them to start working immediately under employer supervision while the formal recognition process is completed in Germany. This removes the delay that previously forced employers to wait 6–12 months before a Filipino nurse could begin work.