THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Germany’s drive to recruit international talent is gathering pace. New figures show that reforms to immigration rules are bringing increasing numbers of skilled professionals from non-EU countries to help fill critical labour shortages.
Since the Skilled Immigration Act came into force in 2020, around 765,000 people from non-EU countries have been granted residence permits linked to employment or skilled migration, according to figures released by the Federal Ministry of the Interior in response to a parliamentary inquiry. The steady rise suggests that Germany’s efforts to make its labour market more accessible to international professionals are beginning to bear fruit.
The number of work-related residence permits has grown significantly in recent years. About 205,000 permits were issued in 2025, up from 157,000 in 2024 and 133,000 in 2023. The increase follows a series of reforms that expanded pathways for qualified professionals, vocational graduates, researchers, jobseekers and apprentices from outside the European Union. These include the introduction of the Opportunity Card and easier recognition of foreign work experience in many occupations.
As of 30 April 2026, around 605,000 people were living in Germany with residence permits issued under these skilled migration provisions. Indian nationals form the largest group, numbering about 91,000, followed by people from Vietnam and Türkiye (around 35,000 each), China (31,400), and Morocco, Iran and Russia (about 23,000 each). Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Ukraine also rank among the ten largest source countries.
The prominence of Morocco among the leading countries illustrates Africa’s growing role in Germany’s labour migration strategy. At the same time, Germany has stepped up recruitment of healthcare workers, engineers and IT specialists from several African countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria and Tunisia, through bilateral partnerships and targeted recruitment programmes.
The figures come as Germany faces an acute demographic challenge. According to the OECD, labour shortages have become a major constraint on economic growth, with employers struggling to fill vacancies across healthcare, construction, engineering, logistics and information technology. The organisation argues that continued skilled migration will be essential as Germany’s working-age population shrinks over the coming decades.
The Federal Employment Agency reports that the number of foreign workers holding employment-related residence permits has more than doubled since 2020, while demand for advice on qualification recognition and migration procedures continues to rise. More than half of labour migrants now arrive through skilled migration channels, reflecting Germany’s shift towards attracting qualified professionals rather than low-skilled labour.
The growing inflow of skilled migrants is nevertheless accompanied by ongoing challenges. Professional associations and migration experts continue to point to lengthy recognition procedures, housing shortages, language barriers and administrative delays that can make Germany less attractive than competing destinations. Addressing these obstacles will be crucial if the country is to remain competitive in the global race for talent.
For Africans considering Germany as a destination for work or career development, the latest figures send a clear message: opportunities are expanding, particularly for qualified professionals. But success will depend not only on opening the door to skilled migration, but also on ensuring that newcomers can integrate quickly and fully into the labour market.
Felix Dappah
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