Berlin – Germany’s Federal Employment Agency (BA) has urged the federal government to drop plans to halve the annual quota for the so-called West-Balkan Regulation from 50,000 to 25,000 work permits as of January 2027. The West-Balkan channel, introduced in 2016 for nationals of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, allows employers to hire workers for any occupation without a priority check, provided the yearly quota is not exhausted. In a statement released on 16 October, BA board member Vanessa Ahuja stressed that more than one million citizens from the region are now in social-insurance employment in Germany; over half of them hold positions classified as skilled or highly-skilled and roughly 50 % work in occupations officially deemed shortage areas. “A halved quota would weaken a proven migration pathway, aggravate skills shortages and make it harder for companies to deliver on construction, infrastructure and industrial projects,” Ahuja warned. Business groups echoed the concerns. The German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) said the present 50,000-permit ceiling was already exhausted before year-end in both 2025 and 2026 and should be expanded, not reduced, if the economy is to meet decarbonisation and housing targets. The construction industry notes that West-Balkan helpers often move on to apprenticeships, becoming fully-qualified craftsmen within three years – a pipeline that would shrink dramatically if access is throttled. Inside government, the Interior Ministry argues that a lower quota is necessary to curb irregular migration and reduce pressure on the asylum system; critics counter that the regulation has demonstrably channelled would-be asylum seekers into legal labour migration. A formal ordinance cutting the quota is slated for cabinet approval in November, but mounting opposition from the BA, employers’ associations and several Länder could still derail the timetable. For global mobility and HR teams the debate is critical. Many manufacturing, logistics and care providers rely on the West-Balkan route for urgent head-count. Companies planning 2027 staffing should map alternative visa categories (Skilled Worker Route, EU Blue Card, Chancenkarte) and consider fast-track procedures (§ 81a AufenthG) to lock in approvals before a possible quota squeeze. Employers are also advised to secure Federal Employment Agency pre-approvals early; the BA has hinted it will allocate the 2027 quota strictly in chronological order if the cap is indeed reduced.
Source: n-tv / dpa
