The German Bundestag held the second and third readings of the long-awaited Immigration Modernisation Bill (Einwanderungsgesetz 2026) during its plenary session on 16 July. The bill bundles more than 60 amendments to the Residence Act, the Skilled Immigration Act and ancillary regulations. Key measures include: • A new ‘Talent Card’ points scheme that lets degree-holders and qualified technicians enter Germany for up to one year to look for work. • Digitised residence-permit renewals via the Ausländerzentralregister and the launch of a central appointment platform for all immigration authorities. • Faster recognition of foreign professional qualifications through a “recognition partnership” model that shifts part of the process to employers. • Reduced salary thresholds for EU Blue Card holders in MINT shortage occupations—from €45,934 to €44,000 in 2027—and immediate mobility rights after 12 months in another EU country. Coalition parties argue the reform is vital to meet the Federal Employment Agency’s forecast shortage of 400,000 skilled workers per year. The opposition CDU/CSU fears abuse of the job-search visa and successfully introduced a sunset clause that requires parliamentary renewal in 2030. For corporate mobility teams, the biggest win is procedural: once the IT platform goes live in mid-2027, assignees will no longer need multiple in-person visits to local immigration offices. Employers will be able to upload contracts and salary statements electronically and track progress in real time, bringing Germany closer to the digital processes already standard in the Netherlands or Estonia. The Federal Council (Bundesrat) is expected to vote on the measure on 6 August. Most provisions would enter into force on 1 January 2027, with the Talent Card pilot starting six months earlier.
Source: Deutscher Bundestag
