Western Balkans regulation
Updated:
The Western Balkans regulation allows nationals of certain countries to work in Germany even without a recognized professional qualification. Easier conditions apply.
The regulation applies to nationals of the following countries:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Kosovo
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
Prerequisites
The Federal Employment Agency checks whether there is already a suitable jobseeker for the position in Germany. Only if this is not the case can the visa be approved.
The visa application must be submitted to the responsible German diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate) in the country of origin.
A valid employment contract or a binding job offer is mandatory. No visa will be issued without this proof.
- Secure means of subsistence (usually via the salary)
- Valid passport and clarified identity
- other legal residence requirements (e.g. no entry or residence ban)
The work must comply with the same conditions as for German employees. This includes, among other things, compliance with statutory minimum requirements for pay, working hours and insurance.
Recognition of professional qualifications is not mandatory - except in the case of regulated professions such as:
- Doctors
- Teachers
- nurses
In these cases, recognition of the qualification is mandatory.
Anyone who is older than 45 at the time of application must either:
- a gross annual salary of at least 53,130 euros (as of 2025) or
- an adequate pension plan
provide proof.
Limiting the number of consents
The number of annual approvals by the Federal Employment Agency is limited to 50,000 per calendar year (Section 26 (2) sentence 4 BeschV).
