According to VisaHQ, the proposal has already been officially supported by the country’s upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, which has called for accelerating the issuance of residence permits for foreign students by removing bureaucratic barriers. This is primarily a matter of applied professions, where there is a shortage of personnel.
Germans are most in need of nurses and other health care workers, electricians and electricians, plumbers, builders and carpenters, as well as mechanics and technicians.
Many foreigners come to study under such programs of dual education(Ausbildung), where training is combined with practical training at enterprises.
A diploma guarantees a residence permit
Now the process is delayed: after completing the training, a foreign graduate must submit a new application for a working residence permit. In practice, this leads to delays – while the application is being processed, specialists cannot start working officially and switch to other countries.
The Bundesrat proposes to allow an automatic change of residence status immediately after passing exams and receiving a diploma. This means that graduates would be able to start work immediately without wasting time waiting for visa or migration documents to be approved.
The proposal has been formalized in the form of a resolution. The document has been sent to the federal government in Berlin, which must now work out specific changes to the legislation.
The reform wants to be implemented already for the school year 2026-27. It is supported by business and trade unions because it is directly linked to the recruitment strategy.
