The Skilled Immigration Act paved the way for a new mechanism to help speed up the entry of qualified professionals from abroad: the fast-track procedure for skilled workers. Experience has been gained with the procedure since it was introduced two years ago, and it is worth reflecting on how the instrument works and how it is applied in administrative practice.

The Central Office for Skilled Worker Immigration North Rhine-Westphalia is the central Foreigners Authority in this federal state, responsible for the implementation of the fast-track procedure. In an interview, Dr Axel Rosenthal, Head of Central Office, answers questions about how his authority goes about implementing this procedure.