China is an important market for many German companies. But it is difficult to qualify Chinese employees in Germany. The reason: long waiting times for the visa process.
In a letter to Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), 300 German companies in China have complained about the slow process of issuing visas for Chinese employees. The qualification of Chinese employees in Germany and joint project development are crucial for the success of German companies, according to a letter signed by the Greater China Chamber of Foreign Trade and its managing director for Shanghai, Maximilian Butek, which was made available to the Reuters news agency.
“We are therefore concerned that there are still difficulties in providing Chinese employees of German companies with visas for Germany in good time,” it continues. The application times are too long and the process more complicated than before. In a response on Saturday, the Foreign Office said that it wanted to carry out the necessary visa procedures “as quickly as possible and reduce existing waiting times as quickly as possible.”
The Shanghai metropolitan area, where two thirds of German companies are based, is cited as an example. Visa processing time there is now around three months. The previously streamlined visa process has been abolished and should be reintroduced, demand the German companies. Now appointments are posted online at irregular times and are booked within a few minutes. The provider’s website is also difficult to access and often reports errors when making appointments.
“Success in China is highly crucial for the overall success of companies,” the letter stresses. This not only affects business success, but also the advancement of innovations. “This year in particular, our surveys show that German companies in China are under particular competitive pressure with local companies.” In order to withstand the competition, products and business models need to be adapted even more quickly to the Chinese market. This is why intensive exchange is needed between the parent companies in Germany and their branches in China.
When asked, the Foreign Office stressed that it sees the great importance of ensuring that travel flows as smoothly as possible, especially for the German economy. Waiting times can vary greatly. At the foreign missions in China, waiting times for business travelers applying for a Schengen visa varied greatly last year, but could have been reduced overall.
There is actually significantly more demand at the Consulate General in Shanghai. “In view of this development, the Foreign Office has taken organizational measures and switched appointment booking to a waiting list,” the Foreign Ministry said. In order to keep waiting times as short as possible, the foreign representation has been supported with personnel and procedures have been analyzed and made more efficient.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, China was once again Germany’s most important trading partner in 2023, with an exchange of goods worth 254.5 billion euros. The traffic light government has warned companies against becoming too dependent on China and wants to promote investments in other countries.
