started · updated
Germany to halve Western Balkans worker visa quota in 2027
The German government plans to halve the annual visa quota for workers from the Western Balkans from 50,000 to 25,000, effective January 1, 2027. This policy change, part of a 34-point reform package by the CDU/CSU and SPD, is intended to address rising unemployment within Germany.
The Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB) has issued a strong warning regarding this decision. The ZDB notes that approximately 30 percent of visas issued under the Western Balkans regulation are utilized by the construction sector. Felix Pakleppa, the ZDB's general director, warned that the reduction could lead to a loss of roughly 8,000 workers and jeopardize numerous infrastructure projects. Currently, every seventh worker on German construction sites holds a foreign passport.
Demand for these visas remains high. The German Federal Employment Agency reported that the 2025 quota was exhausted by late November, leading to rejected applications. In December 2025, approximately 18,000 requests were turned away due to the quota being reached. The regulation currently allows citizens from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia to work in Germany provided they have a valid employment contract.
Entities
Central Association of the German Construction Industry · European Stability Initiative · Federal Employment Agency · Felix Pakleppa · Germany · Western Balkans · Western Balkans Regulation
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 16 SOURCES] The Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB) warns the reduction could result in a loss of 8,000 workers in the construction sector. banjaluka.net · bosnainfo.ba · crnagoravijesti.me · gradjevinagram.com · mostarski.ba · +11 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] Every seventh worker on German construction sites holds a foreign passport. banjaluka.net · bosnainfo.ba · crnagoravijesti.me · gradjevinagram.com · mostarski.ba · +11 more
- [● 16 SOURCES] Approximately 30 percent of visas issued under the Western Balkans regulation are utilized by the construction industry. banjaluka.net · bosnainfo.ba · crnagoravijesti.me · gradjevinagram.com · mostarski.ba · +11 more
- [● 4 SOURCES] The German Federal Employment Agency reported that approximately 18,000 requests were rejected in December 2025 due to the quota being reached. banjaluka.net · gradjevinagram.com · radiosarajevo.ba · tuzlanski.ba
- [● 16 SOURCES] The German government plans to reduce the annual quota for workers from the Western Balkans from 50,000 to 25,000 starting January 1, 2027. banjaluka.net · bosnainfo.ba · crnagoravijesti.me · gradjevinagram.com · mostarski.ba · +11 more
- [● 11 SOURCES] The German government justifies the quota reduction by citing rising unemployment within the country. bosnainfo.ba · crnagoravijesti.me · etv.me · mostarski.ba · www.architekturblatt.de · +6 more