The German Embassy in Islamabad has announced that a higher number of work visa applications will be processed from now on, significantly simplifying the process for Pakistani nationals.
According to a statement published by the German Embassy on social media, the new changes will speed up processes and also increase the number of visas handled, Schengen.News reports.
Waiting lists are now closed. If you have not received an appointment, please start your application on the portal. Going forward, we will move more visa categories to the Consular Services Portal. This speeds up processes at the Embassy and increases the number of visas we can process.
In addition, the Embassy has informed that Pakistani applicants can now apply online for all types of work visas, including highly skilled employment, EU Blue Card, Opportunity Card, self-employment, and to get qualifications recognised.
German Embassy Aims at Eliminating Waiting Lists Entirely
The Embassy in Islamabad announced that the online system will increase the number of work visas while reducing the need for waiting lists.
The portal, digital.diplo.de/visa, will guide applicants through the process, with a questionnaire and other necessary documents for review.
This ensures applications are fully prepared before in-person appointments, speeding up processes at the embassy.
Applicants must attend appointments in person to verify their identity, submit their biometric documents, and pay the visa fees.
As mentioned above, this change affects the procedure for booking appointments for Schengen and long-term visas, except for the Opportunity Card or Chancenkarte.
Germany Granted Over 80,000 Work Visas in 2024
According to the Federal Foreign Office, the number of visas issued for employment purposes was 80,000 in the first half of 2024, with 40,000 of them being for skilled workers. That is up by 3,000 compared to the first half of 2023.
This increase in work visas issued is more than welcome, as Germany is struggling to fill market gaps, as the 2023 EURES report reveals.
An analysis by the German Economic Institute (IW) reveals that Germany has around 570,000 unfilled jobs, and this number risks increasing.
For companies, this means that their production potential is being wasted. They could actually produce more, but they don’t have the employees to do so.
Some of the occupations that are most affected by labour shortages include those in sectors like transportation, manufacturing, construction, healthcare, engineering, and information technology.