As of June 1, 2024, citizens from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia will have special access to Germany's job market thanks to the Western Balkans Regulation. Germany has chosen to increase the annual number of work visas granted to citizens from these six countries to 50,000, effectively doubling the previous quota.
The Western Balkans Regulation was initially limited until the end of 2023. However, with the introduction of the new Skilled Immigration Act, Germany has opted to revise the regulations for citizens of these countries. The German Embassy has stated that the updated rules will be communicated in due course, and until then, appointment allocations will continue through the lottery system. Despite the decision to increase the number of work visas for individuals from the Western Balkans. However, an official statement on the matter is still pending.
Citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia can enter Germany for work under the Western Balkans Regulation. Due to high demand for work visas since its inception, Germany has opted for a lottery system to allocate visa appointments. The German embassies in these six countries conduct monthly draws to randomly select individuals for appointment registrations. The next registration period for work visas under this regulation begins on Wednesday, May 7, 2024, and ends on May 14, 2024. Registration is straightforward and must be done directly by the applicants themselves. Each person can register only once, without the option to modify their data or transfer appointments. Those selected through the lottery will be notified by German authorities to proceed with the visa application process.
According to data from the Western Balkans Regulation, approximately 76,000 citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia held permits in Germany by the end of 2023. This marked a 22% rise from 2022, when Germany had roughly 62,000 workers holding permits from these nations. At the close of 2023, Kosovo citizens constituted the predominant workforce in Germany under this regulation, as reported by the German Federal Statistical Office, Destatis.
Germany is anticipated to see a notable increase in the number of workers from the Western Balkan nations by year-end, under the continued provision of the newly permanent Skilled Immigration Act.