Newsletter No. 4 / 2026

Newsletter No. 4 / 2026: IT staff from abroad

Dear readers,

In 2025, there were 109,000 vacancies for skilled workers in IT in Germany – slightly fewer than in previous years, but demand for staff remains high. At the same time, artificial intelligence is changing the requirements in many IT professions, and new job profiles are emerging.

For companies, this means that skilled IT workers remain in demand – including talent from abroad. This newsletter provides an overview of how international IT professionals can be employed.

Your “Make it in Germany” team

Employing international IT professionals

Hiring IT professionals – even without a recognised qualification

Are you looking to hire an IT specialist from a non-European country? Experienced professionals in this field can obtain a work visa – even without a formal or recognised qualification. The requirements are two years of professional experience in the IT sector within the last five years and a current minimum salary of €45,630 per year (this does not apply to employment under collective bargaining agreements). If you wish to employ the candidate in a more highly qualified IT role, the EU Blue Card may be an option. In that case, slightly higher requirements regarding professional experience and salary apply.

Info: IT professionals with practical knowledge

Infographic: Overview of all visa options for IT professionals

Does the IT professional hold an academic or vocational qualification recognised in Germany? If so, there is no need to provide evidence of professional experience for the visa application. An infographic on “Make it in Germany” provides an overview of all visa options for IT specialists and managers from countries outside the EU/EFTA, as does the page “Visa options for IT professionals” in the skilled workers section of the portal.

Infographic: IT visa options

Website: IT visa options

Webinar: Taking advantage of the Opportunity Card – recruiting international talent

You can also hire IT pofessionals from countries from countries outside the EU/EFTA who are already looking for work in Germany: employing talent with an opportunity card opens up new possibilities for employers. Find out on 17 June 2026 what the relevant conditions are and ask your questions during a Q&A session! The webinar is conducted in German.

About the opportunity card

Get help with recruitment

Are you looking for IT specialists from abroad? Initiatives such as “Hand in Hand for International Talents” and “African Skills 4 Germany” can help you with the recruitment process – from selecting suitable candidates to preparing them for their move to Germany. You can also seek assistance from the Federal Employment Agency (BA), which can help connect suitable candidates with your company.

See the projects

Did you know...?

15%

of employees in ICT occupations subject to social insurance contributions were non-German nationals in 2024.

(Source: Federal Employment Agency (BA))

Information for IT skilled workers

Working in the German IT sector

Do you work in software development, application consulting or computer science? On “Make it in Germany”, you will find information on working in the sector and videos featuring testimonials. Get inspired!

Information for IT specialists

Find current vacancies

Are you looking for a job in Germany? On the “Make it in Germany” job board, you’ll find the latest vacancies in the IT sector and can sign up to receive regular email updates on suitable roles. Good luck!

IT jobs

On behalf of the

Issued by

German Economic Institute
Make it in Germany
Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer 21
50668 Cologne
Germany

Editors: Vanessa Pohlmann and Marlene Schimpf
Did you like the newsletter? If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact us by email:

You are receiving this newsletter because you have registered for it on . The email dispatch is carried out in accordance with our .

Make it in Germany /

Make it in Germany on social media