Accelerated skilled worker procedure

The basic requirement for an accelerated skilled worker procedure is that you have already found an employer, as the accelerated skilled worker procedure can only be applied for by a local employer on behalf of a foreign person from a third country. The procedure is intended for people who wish to enter the country for employment, training or recognition purposes. It is subject to a fee.

A domestic employer must have made you a specific job offer or training place . You must either be a skilled worker , be similar to a skilled worker due to your professional experience or want to become a skilled worker. The evidence required for this depends on the type of qualification and the type of employment you wish to pursue. The employment must also be qualified employment or qualified vocational training.

You must also be resident abroad and meet the other conditions of residence law, such as the passport requirement and a clarified identity.

You have found an employer and authorize them to carry out the accelerated skilled worker procedure for you. The employer then concludes an agreement with the immigration authority and submits all the necessary applications and documents. The foreigners authority checks the documents and, if necessary, initiates the procedure for recognition of the foreign qualification with the competent authority. It will also obtain approval for employment from the Federal Employment Agency, for which your employer must submit a declaration of employment. The declaration can be downloaded here. If necessary, it will also check whether you have the necessary language skills and that your livelihood is secured.

If all requirements are met, the immigration authority will issue a preliminary approval for your visa. This means that it agrees to issue the visa in advance. This ends the procedure for the immigration authority.

The employer forwards this preliminary approval to you, with which you contact the German diplomatic mission in your country. Experience has shown that this will get you an appointment more quickly. The diplomatic mission abroad will check once again whether all the conditions for issuing a visa have been met.

ATTENTION: The accelerated procedure does not guarantee that a visa will be issued, even if advance approval has been granted. This is the sole responsibility of the diplomatic mission abroad.

The immigration authority is the central point of contact for the employer. It advises the employer on the entry requirements for the skilled worker (including family reunification), checks the requirements under immigration law, carries out the recognition procedure - if necessary - and obtains the approval of the Federal Employment Agency. The employer concludes an agreement with the agency to carry out the procedure. It issues the advance visa approval if all requirements have been met.

The Federal Employment Agency checks the working conditions, in particular with regard to wages and working and vacation times. This is done via the declaration of employment.

If your foreign qualification needs to be recognized, the relevant responsible office involved. Who this is depends on the qualification.

The respective diplomatic mission abroad is responsible for issuing the visa that entitles you to enter Germany. With advance approval, you will often receive an appointment to submit your application much more quickly. However, receipt of the visa is not guaranteed.

The employer concludes an agreement with the immigration authority to carry out the procedure. The employer acts on your behalf with power of attorney, for which he has obtained your consent. The employer submits the documents and communicates any additional requirements to you. He also submits the declaration on the employment relationship. If all conditions for advance consent are met, the employer receives this and forwards it to you.

NOTE: The employer has the right to have the procedure carried out by a sub-authorized representative . This requires a sub-authorization .

There are specific deadlines for the authorities involved in the accelerated skilled worker procedure: the deadline for the professional recognition procedure is two months for professions regulated by federal law, one week for the approval procedure of the Federal Employment Agency and six weeks for the visa procedure.

Experience has shown that the process from submission of the documents to the decision on the visa application takes 3 to 6 months. However, the documents submitted must be complete and all requirements must be met.

The procedure costs €411 per specialist. The fee is charged by the Central Saxony District Office as soon as the preliminary approval has been granted. It is due regardless of whether the visa is issued.

In addition, there is a fee of €75 for the visa and, if applicable, the costs for recognition of the qualification, the amount of which varies greatly. You bear the costs. However, the employer can also bear the costs or contribute to them.

Your family members, i.e. Spouses/life partners and underage children can be included in the preliminary approval. The entry of family members should take place within 6 months of your entry.

To this end, you must prove that the livelihood of all persons is secured, e.g. by the amount of their salary. You also need sufficient living space for your family.