In a four-minute prime-time segment aired on 21 February, *WELT TV* political editor Marcel Leubecher criticised the federal government for failing to monitor whether low-skilled foreign workers depart once their visas lapse. "The data simply don’t exist," he said, pointing to information gaps between the Foreign Office, the Interior Ministry and state police databases. The broadcast echoes print revelations but adds new colour: insiders at the Federal Police told *WELT* that exit-stamp checks are still paper-based at several smaller airports, making cross-matching with the central departure list impractical. Leubecher argued that without automated recording, even the forthcoming EU Entry/Exit System could launch with Swiss-cheese holes in Germany. Why it matters for employers: enforcement uncertainty increases reputational risk. If overstays become politicised, companies sponsoring category D visas may face surprise audits or be asked to guarantee onward tickets. Compliance teams should therefore treat exit confirmation—boarding passes, stamped passports—as mandatory dossier items, even before any legal requirement kicks in.
![WELT TV highlights visa-expiry blind spot in German migration oversight]()
For organisations that need a tighter grip on visa lifecycles, VisaHQ offers a convenient workaround to Germany’s patchy data environment. Through its Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/), the service tracks application progress, sends automated expiry alerts, and stores exit evidence in one place, helping HR departments demonstrate due diligence if authorities come knocking.
Politically, the segment adds fuel to opposition calls for a unified migration IT platform before the Bundestag votes on the next tranche of immigration-law amendments in April.
For organisations that need a tighter grip on visa lifecycles, VisaHQ offers a convenient workaround to Germany’s patchy data environment. Through its Germany portal (https://www.visahq.com/germany/), the service tracks application progress, sends automated expiry alerts, and stores exit evidence in one place, helping HR departments demonstrate due diligence if authorities come knocking.
Politically, the segment adds fuel to opposition calls for a unified migration IT platform before the Bundestag votes on the next tranche of immigration-law amendments in April.
