Employers can apply for an accelerated skilled worker procedure at the local immigration authority or at the Central Office for the Immigration of Skilled Workers (ZSEF) with a power of attorney from the skilled worker. A major advantage of the accelerated skilled worker procedure for employers and skilled workers is that it shortens deadlines, both for procedures for the recognition of professional qualifications and for the approval of the Federal Employment Agency and the diplomatic mission abroad.

Beneficiaries

The accelerated procedure for skilled workers applies to stays for all purposes of residence:

• Initial and further training in Germany (Sec. 16a AufenthG)
• Residence for the purpose of carrying out qualification measures for the recognition of foreign vocational training (Sec. 16d AufenthG)
• Skilled workers (§§ 18a, 18b AufenthG)
• Highly qualified skilled workers (Sec. 18c (3) AufenthG)
• Researchers (§ 18d AufenthG)
• Employment as a manager, executive or specialist (Sec. 19c (1) AufenthG in conjunction with Sec. 3 BeschV)
• Employment as a researcher or teacher (Sec. 19c (1) AufenthG in conjunction with Sec. 5 BeschV)
• Temporary practical work in the context of recognition of a foreign professional qualification outside of Section 16d AufenthG (Section 19c (1) AufenthG in conjunction with Section 8 (3) BeschV)
• "Quasi-skilled workers" with extensive professional experience (Sec. 19c (2) AufenthG in conjunction with Sec. 6 BeschV)
• Employment in justified individual cases of public interest (Sec. 19c (3) AufenthG)
• Civil servants (Sec. 19c (4) Sentence 1 AufenthG)

Family members (spouses, minor children) who enter the country at the same time are also covered. The details can be clarified with the responsible immigration authority (ZSEF or district administrative authority). The ZSEF website also contains detailed information on the group of beneficiaries (see "Further links").

The accelerated skilled worker procedure is based on an agreement between the employer and the immigration authority (Central Office for the Immigration of Skilled Workers or local immigration authority). The agreement contains, among other things, authorizations, contact persons, a description of the procedures and deadlines, obligations to cooperate and provide information on the part of the employer and the skilled worker, as well as evidence to be submitted.

Foreign nursing staff ("fast lane")

As part of the "fast lane", the recognition procedures for skilled nursing staff have been centralized at the State Office for Nursing (LfP) and the accelerated procedures for skilled nursing staff at the Central Office for the Immigration of Skilled Workers since 1 July 2023. As part of the fast-track specialist procedure, the "fast lane" concerns applications from nurses who already have a corresponding foreign professional qualification and therefore require recognition by the LfP.