Schengen "Return-for-Visas" Deals: How New Agreements Impact Work Visa Applications from Western Balkans and North Africa (2026)
Germany has been expanding legal work visa pathways for Western Balkans nationals and discussing "return-for-visas" style agreements: in exchange for a partner country’s cooperation on taking back people who entered the EU irregularly, the EU or member states offer easier or additional legal migration channels. In June 2024, Germany doubled the annual work visa quota for Western Balkans nationals under the existing regulation from 25,000 to 50,000. At the EU–Western Balkans summit in Brussels in December 2025, migration and legal pathways were part of the broader dialogue; Germany has floated the idea of linking visa access to return cooperation, with possible EU Council mandates for the Commission to negotiate bilateral protocols in 2026. For North Africa, no official return-for-visas agreements with Germany had been announced as of early 2026. Understanding the current Western Balkans quota and how future deals could work helps applicants from these regions plan their route to a German work visa.
What this means for you
If you’re from the Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia): You can already apply for a work visa under the
Western Balkans regulation with a job offer from a German employer. The annual quota is
50,000 (from June 2024); no qualification recognition is required for non-regulated jobs. Apply at the German mission with your contract and the usual documents; the Federal Employment Agency (BA) must give approval within the quota. Any future “return-for-visas” protocols could add further channels or simplify procedures—watch official EU and German sources for updates.
If you’re from North Africa: There are no official return-for-visas agreements with Germany as of early 2026. Use the standard routes: work visa (e.g. skilled worker,
Section 19c IT if applicable),
Opportunity Card, or Blue Card, depending on your qualifications and job offer.
What Are "Return-for-Visas" Deals?
Return-for-visas (or similar terms) refer to arrangements where:
- a third country agrees to cooperate on taking back its nationals (or others) who entered the EU irregularly or who have no right to stay, and
- the EU or a member state offers easier or expanded legal migration (e.g. work visas, quotas, simplified procedures) for that country’s citizens.
The aim is to reduce irregular migration and smuggling while opening more legal pathways. The link between “returns” and “visas” can be formal (e.g. in a treaty or protocol) or political (e.g. more visas in return for better readmission cooperation). Germany has been promoting this type of approach with Western Balkans partners; at the December 2025 EU–Western Balkans summit, migration and legal pathways were part of the discussion. If the EU Council mandates the Commission to negotiate bilateral implementing protocols, those could be agreed in 2026 or later. Exact design (quotas, conditions, procedures) would depend on the negotiations.
Western Balkans: Current Rules and Quota
The Western Balkans regulation in Germany is set out in the Beschäftigungsverordnung (BeschV), in particular § 26 Abs. 2. It applies to nationals of:
- Albania
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Kosovo
- Montenegro
- North Macedonia
- Serbia
The regulation was extended indefinitely (no fixed end date). From 1 June 2024, the annual quota was raised from 25,000 to 50,000 approvals per year. The Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) allocates these approvals; the quota is shared across the six countries. You need a concrete job offer or employment contract from a German employer. For non-regulated occupations, no formal recognition of qualifications is required; for regulated professions (e.g. doctors, nurses), recognition rules still apply. Employment conditions must match those of comparable German workers. Workers over 45 may need to meet a minimum salary (e.g. 55% of the annual contribution ceiling—check current figures). The last “lottery” for appointment allocation was in May 2024; a new appointment procedure applies thereafter. Apply at the German embassy or consulate in your country with your contract and the documents they require.
EU–Western Balkans Summit (December 2025) and Next Steps
At the EU–Western Balkans summit on 17 December 2025, the EU and Western Balkans leaders adopted the Brussels Declaration, reaffirming the membership perspective and the Growth Plan (including €6 billion in EU grants and broader investment). Migration and visa alignment were part of the context: the Commission’s Eighth Visa Suspension Mechanism Report (December 2025) stressed visa policy alignment with the EU’s visa list. Germany has proposed linking easier work visa access to cooperation on returns; such ideas form part of the broader migration dialogue. If the Council gives the Commission a mandate to negotiate bilateral protocols (e.g. in early 2026), those protocols could define additional or simplified visa pathways linked to return cooperation. Until then, the existing Western Balkans quota (50,000 per year under BeschV § 26 Abs. 2) remains the main dedicated channel for work visas from the region.
North Africa: No Official Return-for-Visas Deals Yet
As of early 2026, no official return-for-visas agreements between Germany and North African countries (e.g. Tunisia, Morocco, Egypt) had been announced. Germany and the EU continue to discuss migration and legal pathways with North African partners, but there are no publicly known bilateral “return-for-visas” deals in force or formally agreed for 2026. Applicants from North Africa should use the standard visa routes: skilled worker visa, Blue Card, Opportunity Card (job-search), or other residence titles depending on qualifications and job offer. When and if such agreements are concluded, they will be published by the government or the EU.
How a Return-for-Visas Mechanism Could Work (If Agreed)
In a typical design:
- Return component: The partner country commits to accept back its nationals (and possibly others) who are to be returned from the EU, in line with international and EU law and in a safe manner.
- Visa component: The EU or member state grants a set number of work visas (or other legal migration channels) or simplifies procedures for that country’s citizens.
- Link: The level of visa access or the quota can be linked to the level of return cooperation, or set in a fixed quota that is reviewed periodically.
Details would be in the negotiated protocols. For applicants, the practical effect would be: if your country has such a deal, you might benefit from a dedicated quota, faster processing, or lower thresholds (e.g. salary). You would still need to meet the conditions set in the protocol (e.g. job offer, qualifications where required).
Impact on Work Visa Applications
Western Balkans today: You already have a clear path: apply under the Western Balkans regulation with a job offer. The 50,000 quota is shared among the six countries; apply early in the year if you want to secure a slot. Processing is via the German mission and the BA. No qualification recognition for non-regulated jobs means faster preparation. If future bilateral protocols add “return-for-visas” elements, they could bring extra quotas or simpler steps; follow official announcements.
North Africa today: Rely on standard pathways. Ensure you have a job offer (or use the Opportunity Card if you qualify) and meet the usual requirements (qualifications, salary threshold where applicable, language if required).
Challenges in any quota system: Quotas can fill up; apply as soon as you have a contract. Have a fallback (e.g. standard skilled worker or Blue Card) if you have the qualifications. Agreements can change; stay informed via missions, BA, and official EU and German migration pages.
Eligibility and Requirements (Western Balkans Regulation)
Nationality: One of the six Western Balkans countries above.
Job offer: Binding employment contract or concrete job offer from a German employer.
Approval: The Federal Employment Agency must grant approval (Zustimmung) within the annual quota.
Qualifications: For non-regulated professions, no formal recognition is required. For regulated professions, the usual recognition rules apply.
Conditions: Wages and working conditions must match comparable German employment; workers over 45 may need to meet a minimum salary (check current BA/ BeschV rules).
Visa: Apply at the German mission in your country of residence with passport, contract, and any other documents required by the mission and the BA.
There is no points system for this quota; the main gate is the job offer and the BA’s approval within the quota.
Application Process (Western Balkans)
Step 1: Secure a job offer or contract from a German employer.
Step 2: Gather documents (passport, contract, proof of qualifications if in a regulated profession, and any other items required by the mission or the BA).
Step 3: Apply at the German embassy or consulate responsible for your place of residence. Use the Consular Services Portal where available. Indicate that you are applying under the Western Balkans regulation. The mission will forward the case to the BA for approval.
Step 4: The BA checks that the job and conditions meet the regulation and that quota is available; if so, it grants approval. The mission then decides on the visa. Processing times vary; apply early.
After entry, register in Germany and apply for your residence permit at the local Ausländerbehörde.
Comparison With Other Visa Pathways
Western Balkans quota vs. standard work visa: The Western Balkans regulation does not require qualification recognition for non-regulated jobs and has a dedicated quota (50,000). Standard skilled worker visas require recognition where the profession is regulated and do not use this quota. Salary thresholds (e.g. for over-45s) may differ; check the current rules.
Western Balkans vs. Opportunity Card: The Opportunity Card is for job searching (no job offer required; points-based). The Western Balkans route requires a job offer and gives a work permit. You can use the Opportunity Card to look for work and then switch to the Western Balkans (or another) work visa when you have a contract.
Western Balkans vs. Section 19c IT: Section 19c is for IT specialists with a job offer and salary above the threshold; it is not quota-based. Western Balkans nationals can use either the Western Balkans quota (any type of job) or Section 19c if they have an IT job meeting the salary and experience criteria.
Important Considerations
Quota limits: The 50,000 are shared across six countries and the year. Apply as soon as you have a job offer.
No posting under this rule: The Western Balkans regulation is for direct employment in Germany, not for posting from an employer in the Western Balkans. Check the BA or Make it in Germany for exact wording.
Regular pathways still exist: If the quota is full or you prefer another route, use the standard skilled worker visa, Blue Card, or Opportunity Card if you meet the conditions.
Stay informed: Any new return-for-visas protocols will be published by the government or the EU. Check the Federal Employment Agency, Make it in Germany, and the EU enlargement and home affairs pages for updates.
Official Sources
Use these for the law and current procedures:
Last checked: February 2026.
Next Steps
If you are from the Western Balkans, secure a job offer and apply under the 50,000 quota at the German mission; use the BA and Make it in Germany pages for current requirements. If you are from North Africa or another region without a return-for-visas deal, use standard work visas or the Opportunity Card. For more on German work visas, see our guides on the Section 19c IT visa and the Work and Stay Agency.
