Germany's ambassador has said his country is looking to attract skilled IT professionals from India, as US President Donald Trump's tightening of restrictions on H-1B visas poses challenges for the Indian IT industry.
Germany's ambassador has said his country is looking to attract skilled IT professionals from India, as US President Donald Trump's tightening of restrictions on H-1B visas poses challenges for the Indian IT industry.
“Our migration policy is reliable, modern and predictable. We are not changing our rules drastically overnight,” Philipp Ackermann, Germany’s ambassador to India and Bhutan, said in a video on his X account, Bloomberg reports . He stressed that Indians would find both stability and “great job opportunities” in the European country.
Germany's announcement comes days after Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on new H-1B visa applications for skilled workers. The move disproportionately affects Indians, who make up two-thirds of the visa recipients. The new policy threatens India's $280 billion annual technology services industry and thousands of jobs.
The German economy needs hundreds of thousands of immigrants every year to counter the negative effects of an aging population. Ackermann began his address by noting that Indians are among the wealthiest workers in Germany.
"The average Indian working in Germany earns more than the average German working in Germany," he said. "And that's pretty good news. After all, high salaries mean that Indians are making a significant contribution to our society and our well-being."
The UK is also considering plans to attract top global talent, even as the US moves in the opposite direction. The Financial Times reported this week, citing anonymous sources, that the country was exploring proposals to waive some visa fees for the world’s top professionals. Earlier this year, the European Union said in a statement that it had increased the number of scholarships it offers to Indian students in recent years.
Europe, particularly Germany, has become a key destination for Indian talent, with Indians accounting for 13% of all international students in 2023-2024, according to the German Academic Exchange Service. According to a study published by the German Embassy in India, around 280,000 Indian nationals were living in Germany as permanent residents at the beginning of 2025.
According to official figures, the US attracts almost six times as many Indian students, with the total number set to exceed 200,000 by 2024. However, ties between India and Washington have soured after Trump imposed 50% tariffs on Indian goods, and visa restrictions are likely to reduce the flow of students to the US.
In addition to Germany, Britain, and the EU as a whole, the H-1B visa fee could be a boost to IT development in Canada and Latin America , where large technology companies could shift hiring.
Previously, dev.ua told what Ukrainian IT professionals and economists think about this Trump innovation .
