Germany sees 43% rise in student visas as it doubles down on skilled immigration reforms

Germany is fast emerging as a top destination for international students, with a nearly 43% surge in study visa approvals over the past four years. According to data from the German Interior Ministry, the number of student visas rose from around 63,000 in 2021 to 90,000 in 2024, Schengen.News reported.

The figures were shared as part of a broader presentation by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, who outlined the country’s progress in three key areas: increasing skilled immigration, cracking down on human smuggling, and reducing irregular migration.

“Migration policy is not for wiseguys, but a management task that must be tackled persistently. The figures speak for themselves: We have increased skilled immigration by 77 per cent since 2021,” Faeser said.

Rise in work visa approvals

Germany has also seen a significant rise in work visa approvals. Between 2021 and 2024, the number of work visas jumped from 97,000 to 172,000—an increase of over 77%. In contrast, asylum approvals have seen a sharp decline.

The Interior Ministry reported that asylum applications dropped by 34.2% year-on-year. Preliminary data from the first quarter of 2025 shows just 33,157 asylum requests—a 37% decline compared to the same period in 2024. First-time asylum applications fell even more sharply, down 43% in the first two months of 2025.

To support its growing immigrant population, Germany has introduced several policy changes aimed at making the country more accessible and navigable for newcomers. Integration courses, once limited to those with legal residency, have now been extended to people still undergoing asylum procedures. Ukrainian refugees, in particular, are being offered language training and counselling early in the integration process.

The Skilled Immigration Act—Germany's flagship initiative to attract foreign talent—has also been revised. New provisions give professional experience greater weight in immigration decisions.

At the same time, Germany’s updated citizenship law now offers a faster path to nationality for long-term residents, though it explicitly excludes individuals with anti-democratic beliefs.