The Western Balkans rule

Any job with a German employer, no qualification needed: quota, pre-approval, exclusions and the planned cut for 2027.

The Western Balkans rule (Westbalkanregelung, § 26 (2) BeschV) is a special work route only for citizens of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. It allows any employment, also without a recognised qualification, if the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit, BA) approves it.

Conditions

• A concrete job offer from an employer in Germany, with pay and working conditions comparable to German workers (§ 39 AufenthG).
• Approval of the BA: § 26 (2) sentence 1 BeschV provides for approval with a priority check (Vorrangprüfung) – the BA checks whether a suitable applicant with priority is available. Secondary sources say this check has not been applied in practice since November 2023; we could not confirm this in an official source.
• For a first approval, you must apply for the visa at the German mission in your home country (one of the six states).
• No temporary agency work (Leiharbeit): § 40 (1) no. 2 AufenthG excludes it.
• No German level is required by law. The missions in Belgrade and Pristina ask for B1 for work as a nursing assistant; drivers need their driving licence.
• Age 45 or over at first employment: a salary of at least €55,770 (2026) or proof of adequate pension provision (Embassy Pristina).

The quota

• The BA may approve up to 50,000 employments per calendar year. It sets monthly quotas by nationality.
• Demand is higher: according to the BA (press release of 16 October 2026) the quota has been exceeded since 2025 and is likely to run out before the end of 2026.
• Planned change: the Federal Government plans to halve the quota to 25,000 from January 2027. The BA argues for keeping 50,000 (BA press release 2026-40). Whether and when the cut takes effect was not decided at the time of writing.

Procedure since 1 June 2024

1. The employer applies to the BA for pre-approval (Vorabzustimmung). You do not apply yourself at this stage.
2. With the pre-approval you book a visa appointment with the service provider Visametric. The missions in Sarajevo and Pristina state that the old appointment lottery has ended and an appointment follows within a few weeks.
3. Visa fee €75; Visametric charges its own service fee (Belgrade: €40, paid in dinars). See Visa application.
4. Processing: Belgrade says "usually several weeks" and answers written enquiries only after 10 to 12 weeks; Pristina says "several weeks to months".
5. After arrival: address registration and residence permit, see After arrival.

What the permit does and does not give

• You may work in the approved job. A change of employer needs a new approval.
• The rule in § 9 BeschV (no approval needed after two years of insured employment) does not apply to this route, unless the approval was granted under the version in force until 31 December 2020.
• Many people later switch to a skilled-worker permit, for example after recognition. See Skilled worker and Already in Berlin?

According to the BA, about 546,000 people from the six states were in jobs subject to social insurance in Germany in September 2026, 53 % of them at skilled level or above (BA press release 2026-40; BA information page).