State and private sector representatives in Germany came together for a top-level summit earlier this week to accelerate efforts to attract qualified workers to the country.

The event preceded sweeping legislative changes coming into force on 1 March 2020 that will make it much easier for people with valuable skills to find employment in Germany.

The new laws will allow anyone with an employment contract and recognised qualifications to work in Germany. The legislation suspends previous requirements that employers prove that no suitable candidates from the EU were available.

Additionally, foreign jobseekers will be allowed to reside for six months in Germany while looking for work, if they can support themselves without recourse to social benefits.

The summit pledged to speed up immigration procedures and reduce red tape. The summit also established the website "Make it in Germany" as a central first point of call for foreign employees and jobseekers. German businesses and government agencies will also step up efforts to recruit foreign talents and integrate them into German society.

"The Skilled Immigration Act establishes a new legal framework for Germany to ensure a fundamental level of specialists," Christina Schön, senior manager of investor services at Germany Trade & Invest, said. "This will also benefit foreign firms with subsidiaries in Germany that want to employ qualified people from parent companies. The accelerated residence-permit procedures and the new opportunities created for experts with vocational qualifications are only two of the positive changes coming in March."