The Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz (FEG) rewrote Germany's rules for non-EU hiring in three stages between November 2023 and June 2024. For a German employer with unfilled shifts, the practical question is not what the law says — it is which route to file under for a given role. Here is the map we use when we scope a requirement from a German client.
Route 1: Recognised Qualification (§18a / §18b)
The classic route. The candidate's Indian vocational qualification or degree is recognised by the competent German body, the employer offers a job matching that qualification, and the Federal Employment Agency (BA) approves the employment. Best for regulated professions — nursing, electrical work, certain technical trades — where recognition is unavoidable anyway.
Route 2: Experience-Based Route (§6 BeschV)
The route most blue-collar hires now use. No German recognition is required if the worker has a qualification of at least two years recognised in India plus at least two years of relevant experience, and the job pays at least the FEG salary floor (around €43,000 gross a year in 2026, or a collectively agreed wage). It opens welding, CNC, logistics, kitchen and many construction roles that previously stalled in recognition queues.
Route 3: EU Blue Card
For degree-holders earning at least €50,700 (standard) or €45,934.20 (shortage occupations, IT specialists, recent graduates) in 2026. Rarely relevant for manual trades, but valuable for site engineers, quality managers and IT.
Route 4: Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte)
A job-search permit the candidate obtains on their own. From the employer's side you simply hire a card-holder already in Germany and convert their status. Useful for opportunistic hiring, unreliable for planned headcount — see our Chancenkarte guide.
The Accelerator: Vorabzustimmung and the Fast-Track Procedure
Whichever route you use, the employer can apply for pre-approval from the BA and, through the local Foreigners Authority, for the accelerated skilled-worker procedure (§81a AufenthG). It compresses recognition, BA approval and the visa appointment into a coordinated timeline — typically the difference between three months and six. We explain it in Germany's fast-track procedure for employers.
Which Route for Which Role
- Nurses and care staff — Route 1, with recognition and B2 German built into the pipeline
- Welders, CNC operators, electricians, fitters — Route 2 in most cases
- Truck drivers — Route 2 plus EU licence conversion and Code 95
- Chefs and hotel staff — Route 2, or the specialty-cook provision for Indian cuisine
- Engineers and IT — Blue Card
Where the Indian Side Fits
Indian law requires overseas placement to go through an agency licensed by the Ministry of External Affairs. Taha Airwaves (licence B-3260/DEL/COM/100/5/11259/2025) sources, tests and documents candidates in India while your German filings run — so the two halves of the corridor move in parallel. Start with our Germany hiring page or request a scoped proposal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a German employer hire an Indian worker without German qualification recognition?
Yes. Under the experience-based route (§6 BeschV) a worker with an Indian qualification of at least two years and two years of experience can be employed in a non-regulated occupation if the salary meets the FEG floor or a collective agreement.
How long does it take to hire from India under the FEG?
Three to five months is typical when the employer uses BA pre-approval and the accelerated procedure; without them, six months or more is common.
