EU tells Germany to phase out prolonged Schengen border checks
Germany scraps airport-transit visa for Indian nationals from 3 June 2026
EU reaches political deal on Return Regulation—Germany prepares for faster deportation procedures
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Stage 3 of Germany’s Skilled-Worker Immigration Act starts: Chancenkarte and doubled West Balkan quota
On 1 June 2026 Germany activated the third—and most business-relevant—phase of its Skilled-Worker Immigration Act. Key changes include a points-based ‘Chancenkarte’ job-search visa and the doubling of the West Balkan labour quota to 50,000. The measures give German employers faster access to non-EU talent but success will hinge on administrative throughput at consulates and foreigners’ authorities.
Germany transposes EU asylum overhaul: new GEAS laws enter into force
Two adaptation laws that bring German asylum and residence legislation into line with the EU’s reformed Common European Asylum System took effect on 1 June 2026. The measures introduce up to 24-month ‘secondary-migration centres’, expand detention grounds and tighten airport procedures, which could extend processing times for non-EU travellers. Companies moving staff through German hubs should review documentation and connection buffers.
Residence Act amended: Government gains faster power to list safe countries of origin
Consolidated amendments to the German Residence Act took effect on 1 June 2026, granting the federal government the power to label ‘safe countries of origin’ through regulation instead of statute. The overhaul also integrates recent skilled-migration provisions and clarifies labour-authority consent rules, requiring employers and advisers to update compliance material.