Working in Germany for EU and non-EU Citizens: Visas and Employment Opportunities

Would you like to work, study, complete vocational training or move to Germany with your family? People requiring a visa must hold an entry visa to do so. The type of visa you must apply for depends on the reason for your visit or stay. Get to know everything about the types of visa and which requirements have to be met.

EU Blue Card

Having numerous advantages, the EU Blue Card is one of the most popular resident titles for highly skilled workers. It is best to verify right away whether you are eligible for an EU Blue Card.

Work visa for qualified professionals

The work visa for skilled workers provides you with direct access to the German job market. Read more on what requirements you must meet in order to work as a skilled worker in Germany.

Visa for professionally experienced workers

Third-country nationals with a foreign qualification and extensive professional experience have the opportunity to work in a non-regulated profession in Germany, even if their qualification is not formally recognised.

Visa for employment within a recognition partnership

Do you want to be able to practise your profession while going through the recognition procedure? A recognition partnership could be an option for you. Find out more about the recognition partnership visa.

Visa options for IT professionals

In Germany, qualified and experienced skilled workers in IT are in high demand. Coming from abroad, there are a lot of options to receive a work visa – with or without a formal qualification certificate.

Job search opportunity card

Job seekers from abroad can enter Germany in order to look for a job. In some cases, a visa might be necessary. We will explain how it works.

1. EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card (Section 18g of the Residence Act [AufenthG]) is a special residence title for foreign academics and people with comparable qualifications who want to take up qualified employment in Germany. 

What opportunities does the EU Blue Card offer?

The EU Blue Card is issued for the duration of your employment contract, plus an additional three months, and is valid for a maximum of four years. It is possible to extend the validity of this residence title in Germany if certain conditions are met. 

After 27 months, EU Blue Card holders can obtain a settlement permit  if they can prove that they have German language skills at level A1 according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). If language level B1 can be demonstrated, the settlement permit can be issued after only 21 months.

Do you want to live in Germany with your family? As an EU Blue Card holder, this is possible. 

Changing jobs with an EU Blue Card

Are you an EU Blue Card holder looking to change your employer in Germany? This is no problem. You will be able to start your new job with a valid EU Blue Card. However, if you change jobs within the first year of employment, you must notify your local foreigners authority of your new job. The foreigners authority will check whether you still meet the conditions for the EU Blue Card in your new job. If this is not the case, you may be granted another type of residence permit, such as a work and residence permit for qualified professionals. 

2. Work visa for qualified professionals

If you have completed qualified vocational training or a course of study outside Germany, you can obtain a residence permit under Section 18a of the Residence Act (AufenthG)  or Section 18b of the Residence Act (AufenthG)  in order to take up qualified employment in Germany as a skilled worker.

3. Visa for professionally experienced workers

If you are an experienced professional and would like to work in a non-regulated profession, there are good career opportunities in Germany. In this case, you can obtain a residence permit for qualified employment in Germany under Section 19c (2) of the Residence Act [AufenthG]) in conjunction with Section 6 of the Ordinance on the Employment of Foreigners (BeschV). The formal recognition of your qualification in Germany is not necessary for this.

4. Visa for employment within a recognition partnership

Are you interested in working in Germany and need to get your foreign qualification recognized? A recognition partnership gives you the opportunity to go through the recognition procedure after you arrive in Germany, while working in your profession at the same time. For this purpose, you need a residence permit under Section 16d (3) of the Residence Act (AufenthG).

What are the requirements for a visa for employment within the framework of a recognition partnership?

🔵 Qualification: You have a foreign higher education degree or a professional qualification requiring at least two years of full-time training. Your higher education degree or professional qualification must be recognized by the government of the country in which you obtained it. For your visa application, you need evidence of positive information regarding your professional qualification or a digital Statement of Comparability regarding your higher education degree. You can submit an application to the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB) to receive either of those documents.

🔵 Concrete job offer: You have a concrete job offer from an employer in Germany. It will usually be qualified employment. This means that you will need a higher education degree or qualified vocational training to do this work. Auxiliary tasks will not be sufficient for this purpose. There is an exception for employment in regulated professions where a license to practice is required (e.g. doctor, health professionals in nursing). In this case, you can work as an assistant until you obtain your license to practice.

🔵 Recognition partnership agreement: You have signed a written agreement with your future employer stating that you will have the opportunity to complete the recognition procedure as part of your employment relationship. This agreement may also be included in your employment contract.

🔵 Proof of language proficiency: You have German language skills at level A2 or above of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). Please note that, depending on the profession, a higher level of German may be required for participation in qualification measures in Germany.

🔵 Suitable employer: Your employer must be suitable for a recognition partnership. This means that the company already has experience in providing vocational training or post-qualification skills development. The competent authority will check the suitability of your employer during the visa process. No action is required on your part, in the role of the skilled worker.

INFO:Your conditions of employment (salary, working hours, etc.) must correspond to those of domestic employees. As part of the visa process, this will be assessed by the Federal Employment Agency (BA), which must approve your employment.

What opportunities does a visa for employment within the framework of a recognition partnership offer?

The residence title for a recognition procedure with accompanying employment is initially issued for up to 12 months. It can be extended by one year at a time up to a maximum of three years. This residence title allows you to work up to 20 hours a week in secondary employment in addition to the job for which you have a recognition partnership.

Options after successful completion of the recognition procedure

🔵 The recognition procedure was successful: You have received full recognition of your professional qualification. For your further stay in Germany, you can now apply to the competent foreigners authority in Germany for a residence permit for skilled workers or an EU Blue Card. To do this, you must either remain employed by your current employer or provide evidence of another offer of qualified employment. If you do not have a job offer, you have the option of staying in Germany for up to 12 months to find a suitable job. For this purpose, you need to apply to the competent foreigners authority for a residence permit for job seekers (Section 20 (3) No. 4 of the Residence Act [AufenthG]). While you are looking for a job, you are entitled to take up any form of employment.

🔵 Your qualification received partial recognition in the recognition procedure: partial recognition means that you lack the theoretical or practical skills or knowledge required for full recognition. In this case, your residence permit for a recognition partnership will be renewed for up to two years. Renewal requires that you participate in the necessary qualification measures to achieve full equivalence. Examples of qualification measures include a language course or a work placement. As part of the recognition partnership, your employer is required to give you the opportunity to address any identified skills gaps. Information on qualification measures for people with foreign professional qualifications can be found, for example, on the Federal Employment Agency (BA) website, the information portal “Anerkennung in Deutschland” and the Network “IQ – Integration through Qualification”.

TIP:If the maximum duration of your residence permit is about to expire and you have not received a positive result in the recognition procedure, check whether you can still change to another residence title.

5. Visa options for IT professionals

Attractive routes have been created for IT specialists from outside the EU/EEA and Switzerland (so-called “third countries”) to obtain a work visa in Germany. The type of visa you are eligible for depends on your qualifications and the job offer in Germany.

🟢 EU Blue Card: if you have a formally recognized academic or tertiary-level qualification in IT and have a concrete job offer in Germany, you can obtain an EU Blue Card. In this case, it is important that your job in Germany pays a certain minimum salary.

Even if you do not have such a qualification, you can still obtain an EU Blue Card if you have gained knowledge and skills from at least three years’ work experience in a similar profession within the last seven years. The EU Blue Card is a very popular residence title that offers you many advantages.

🟢 Work visa for qualified professionals: a residence permit for qualified employment (under Section 18a or Section 18b of the Residence Act [AufenthG]) may apply to you if you have completed training or a degree in IT that is recognized in Germany or is equivalent, but you do not meet the requirements for an EU Blue Card.

🟢 Visa for professionally experienced workers: you can work as an IT specialist in Germany even if you do not have a formal vocational qualification or university degree, as long as you can prove that you have work experience in the IT sector. For more information about this type of visa, refer to the “Visa for professionally experienced workers” section.

Please beware:A concrete job offer is the most important requirement and the first step towards your IT career in Germany, regardless of the type of residence title residence title you are applying for. You can therefore find out more about working as an IT specialist in Germany here.

6. Job search opportunity card

The opportunity card (Section 20a of the Residence Act [AufenthG]) improves your chances of making contact with German employers and finding qualified employment in Germany. 

What are the requirements for an opportunity card?

Are you from a country outside the EU/EEA or Switzerland and would like to apply for an opportunity card under Section 20a of the Residence Act [AufenthG]? The following options are open to you:

🔵 Option 1: You have a foreign professional or academic qualification that is fully recognized in Germany. Alternatively, you obtained your university degree or professional qualification in Germany. 

TIP:If you obtained your university degree or professional qualification in Germany, you can immediately apply for a residence permit for job seekers under Section 20 of the Residence Act [AufenthG]. This gives you more time to look for a job (18 months instead of one year) and you can work part-time without restrictions during this time. For more information, see the “Prospects after graduation” section and the “Prospects after your vocational training” section. 

🔵 Option 2: You score a minimum of six points in the points system in addition to meeting the following requirements: 

• You have successfully completed vocational or academic training. It is important that the qualification is recognised by the country in which you obtained it. In addition, your vocational qualification must have required at least two years of vocational training. To support your visa application, you will need a positive result for this qualification, which you can apply for online at the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
  
  TIP:If you completed Category A vocational education and training at a German Chamber of Commerce Abroad (AHK) that meets the requirements of the Vocational Training Act [BBiG], this qualification may also be suitable. For more information, please contact the AHK where you obtained your qualification. For general information, visit the Federal Institute for Vocational Education and Training (BIBB) website.
• Proof of language proficiency: You either have German language skills of at least level A1 as defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) or English language skills of at least level B2 (CEFR).

Ability to cover living costs:

For both Option 1 and Option 2, you must have sufficient financial resources to fund your job search in Germany. During the visa process, you can demonstrate this ability with a blocked bank account (containing a minimum of €1,027 net per month, amount applicable in 2024) or a declaration of commitment. 

How does the points system for opportunity cards work? 

The points system is only relevant if Option 2 applies to you, i.e. if you are unable to demonstrate that you have a German qualification or that your foreign qualification has been fully recognized. To apply for an opportunity card visa, you must also provide evidence of formal qualifications and the necessary language skills. You can score points for the following criteria:

• Equivalence of qualification: If you have already applied for recognition of your foreign qualification and it has been found to be partially equivalent, you will receive four points. You will still receive the four points if, in the case of a regulated profession, you are required to participate in compensatory measures before obtaining a license to practice your profession.
• Qualification in a shortage occupation: If your formal qualification is in a shortage occupation, you will get one point. To find out which occupations are considered to be in short supply, consult the List of shortage occupations.
• Professional experience: You will also be awarded points for your previous professional experience in relation to your formal qualification that you gained after graduating. Two points will be awarded if you can demonstrate that you have at least two years’ professional experience within the last five years. If you have at least five years’ professional experience within the last seven years, you will get three points.
• Language skills: You will also earn points if your German language skills are above level A1 (CEFR). One point is awarded at level A2, two points at level B1 and three points at level B2 or above. An additional point will be awarded if you have English at level C1 or above, or if you are a native speaker.
• Age: You also receive points if you are a certain age. People who are no older than 35 get two points until the day they turn 35. All those aged between 35 and 40 are awarded one point.
• Previous stays in Germany: Have you already lived in Germany? If you can prove that you have resided legally in Germany for a continuous period of at least six months in the last five years, you will receive one point. Examples of such stays include study, language and work stays. Stays for the purpose of tourism or visiting people do not count. Copies of old passports and the visas and entry stamps they contain can be submitted as evidence.
• Skilled worker potential of spouses or life partners: Are you married or in a partnership and would like to come to Germany with your partner on an opportunity card? If your partner already meets the requirements for an opportunity card, you will be awarded one point in the points system. With this in mind, he or she can also do the self-check: opportunity card.

What opportunities does the opportunity card offer?

Opportunity cards are issued initially as job search opportunity cards for a maximum of one year. The card allows you to look for gainful employment in Germany, i.e. you can seek employment or become self-employed.

While you are looking for gainful employment, you are allowed to have one or more part-time jobs (secondary employment) totaling 20 hours a week. You can also do job trials for a maximum of two weeks per employer as part of your job search. The aim of the job trial must be either to obtain qualified employment, an apprenticeship or a qualification program. 

If you have found a specific job or apprenticeship, or if you want to become self-employed, you can apply to your local foreigners authority for one of the existing residence permits for qualified employment, for vocational training, for the recognition of your professional qualifications or for self-employment. If your job meets the requirements for qualified employment but you are not eligible for any other residence title, your opportunity card will be extended for up to two years (opportunity card extension). 

Further information on the topic of "Working in Germany" can be found on the official website for qualified professionals from abroad at https://www.make-it-in-germany.com/en/visa-residence/types.

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