The Federal Recognition Office (ZAB) has committed to issuing certificate-evaluation results for foreign university degrees within 14 calendar days, a move aimed at accelerating EU Blue Card and Skilled Worker Visa processing. The policy change, published on 11 October, follows complaints from employers that assessments were taking up to eight weeks, delaying start dates for critical hires. Under the new service pledge, applications filed through the anabin portal that meet documentation standards will receive an electronic Bescheid within two weeks. The expedited timetable aligns with the third phase of Germany’s revised Skilled Immigration Act, which enters into force on 1 November and lowers the Blue Card salary threshold to €50,700 (or €45,934 for shortage occupations). HR teams must still ensure that job offers specify duties commensurate with tertiary qualifications, as immigration offices will cross-check the ZAB statement against the contract. The Labour Agency (BA) confirmed that its own approval step under §18b AufenthG will remain fully digital; in 94 % of cases no labour-market test is required. The faster degree verification is expected to shave a month off end-to-end processing, putting Germany on par with the Netherlands and ahead of France. Multinationals such as Siemens and SAP, which collectively filed over 3,000 Blue Card petitions in 2025, welcomed the change, saying it will make German assignments more competitive in the global talent market. Global-mobility teams should update their hiring timelines and alert candidates that they will need to upload degree transcripts and language certificates in colour PDF plus sworn translations if originals are not in German or English.
Source: Flootloop
