Germany has announced its dedicated visa for esports players and professionals will be available in spring 2020. The visa, which forms part of the Skilled Immigration Act, makes it easier for organisations registered in Germany to recruit players outside the EU.
To be eligible for the visa, players will need to be at least 16 years old, earn over a specific amount, and have confirmation as a professional player from a governing body. Although the German Esports Federation, who has campaigned for this new visa for years, says it will set up a new streamlined procedure to help organisations get players on the books.
“Our determined effort over the last two years finally paid off,” Hans Jagnow, president of the German Esports Federation says in a blog post. “Visa issues at esports events in Germany will be a story of the past. The explicit recognition by the German government is an important signal in the national and international discussion about esports.
“The visa requirements for esports professionals should be harmonized internationally in order to allow easy access to tournaments and leagues for esports athletes all over the world.”
Germany is home to a number of esports organisations including G2 Esports, Mousesports, BIG Clan, and more, and regularly plays host to a number of esports tournaments. The League of Legends European Championship, for example, is recorded at a studio in Berlin.
The visa’s introduction in Spring 2020 will hopefully ease the pressure on the organisations trying to bring new talent into the country, all while bolstering the esports ecosystem in the country.
