Nationwide Airport Strike Grounds 3,400 Flights and Disrupts Half-a-Million Journeys
EU Hikes ETIAS Fee to €20 Ahead of 2026 Roll-Out, Raising Cost of Visa-Free Trips to Germany
German Airports Surpass Pre-Covid Long-Haul Traffic as October Numbers Climb 5.6 %
Latest News
Salary Projections for 2026 Underscore Rising Thresholds for Germany’s Blue-Card Talent
The Local’s 26 November pay outlook predicts a 4.5 percent rise in German salaries for 2026, pushing Blue-Card income thresholds above €50,000. Employers must adjust job offers and mobility budgets to maintain visa compliance and keep pace with living-cost pressures in major cities.
Border Checks Along A61 Snare Wanted Offenders as Germany Maintains Temporary Controls
Police arrests on 26 November highlight Germany’s ongoing temporary border checks at Dutch and other frontiers. While primarily a security measure, the controls can delay cross-border business travel and require all passengers to carry valid ID, prompting companies to adjust scheduling and compliance briefings.
Lufthansa pilot strike cancels 900-plus flights and snarls German business travel
A 48-hour pilot strike on 23-24 November forced Lufthansa to cancel more than 900 flights, disrupting 115,000 passengers and raising red flags for companies with visa appointments and year-end travel plans. Business-travel managers should prepare contingency routings and document cancellations for immigration authorities.
New study exposes stark inequality in access to German visa appointments
A DeZIM-led study published 24 November shows applicants from low-GDP countries wait far longer for German visa appointments than peers from wealthier states, hampering corporate recruitment. Researchers urge Berlin to publish real-time wait-time data and redeploy resources to the worst-hit missions.
Germany’s deportations up 18 % as interior ministry doubles down on tough migration stance
Interior-ministry statistics published 24 November show deportations rising 18 % to 19,538 in the first ten months of 2025. The tougher stance may speed up legitimate visa processing but heightens compliance risks for employers and could deter foreign talent.
Berlin unveils ‘Masterplan Ladeinfrastruktur 2030’ to future-proof EV travel corridors
Germany’s new Masterplan Ladeinfrastruktur 2030, released 24 November, outlines 41 measures to accelerate EV-charger roll-out, including high-power corridors for trucks and real-time availability dashboards—improvements that will ease domestic moves and cross-border business travel.