Posted on October 28, 2024

Modi Announces More German Visas for Indians as Scholz Visits

AFP, October 25, 2024

Germany will dramatically boost the number of skilled Indians it permits to work in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced Friday as he hosted Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

The German leader is on his third visit to India since last year, bringing several cabinet ministers for discussions between the leaders of the world’s third- and fifth-largest economies.

Modi said the Scholz administration had decided to increase the number of visas granted annually to skilled Indian workers to 90,000, up from 20,000.

“I am confident this will give a new momentum to Germany’s growth,” he said.

“When India’s dynamics and Germany’s precision meet, when Germany’s engineering and India’s innovation meet… a better future is decided for the Indo-Pacific and the entire world.”

India and Germany first signed a migration agreement two years ago to facilitate mobility for professionals and students.

Berlin has also pledged to make its visa application process less bureaucratic and to improve the recognition of Indian professional qualifications in Germany.

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