EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card - a residence permit for highly qualified workers
Since August 1, 2012, employees and university graduates have had the opportunity to acquire a special residence permit, the so-called EU Blue Card. The aim of this residence permit is to promote and facilitate the permanent immigration of highly qualified workers from outside the EU to Germany. The legal basis for who can live and work in Germany with a Blue Card is regulated in Section 18g of the Residence Act.
Overview
The requirements for the acquisition of an EU Blue Card
Authority competence
Advantage of the accelerated skilled worker procedure
Advantages of the EU Blue Card
No approval from the Federal Employment Agency
What documents are needed for the application?
Regional differences in the application for the EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card after Brexit
Frequently Asked Questions about the EU Blue Card (FAQ)
The requirements for obtaining an EU Blue Card
In order to apply for an EU Blue Card, you must meet the following requirements:
- Hold an accredited college degree,
- Meet the minimum salary threshold
- possess a professional license, if applicable,
- have an employment contract or a concrete offer of a contract
- and have a qualification (university degree) appropriate to the job.
To obtain an EU Blue Card and be able to work in Germany, you must meet the following requirements:
- Hold an accredited college degree,
- have an employment contract or a concrete job offer,
- meet the minimum salary threshold,
- and, if applicable, have a license to practice the profession.
However, there is one important exception to this: IT specialists can obtain an EU Blue Card even without a degree. However, they must have gained at least three years of relevant professional experience in the past seven years and be able to demonstrate theoretical knowledge at the level of university graduates. We explain more about this special regulation here.
University degrees
In principle, both German and foreign degrees can be sufficient for applying for an EU Blue Card.
- German university degree
A university degree completed in Germany is generally sufficient. - Foreign university degree
A foreign degree may also be sufficient for the application, provided it is either recognized or comparable to a German university degree.
The extent to which a foreign university degree is recognized in Germany can be checked in the online database of the Central Office for Foreign Education (ZAB).
In the event that the online database does not contain sufficient information, the applicant must apply to the ZAB for an individual evaluation of the degree, which is subject to a fee (so-called comparability with German university degree).
Further information on the recognition and equivalence of foreign university degrees can be found at www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de. Unfortunately, problems can often arise when determining the equivalence or recognition of a university degree obtained abroad, which may delay or prevent the process of applying for this residence permit.
Completed training in a specific profession is generally not sufficient to obtain an EU Blue Card. Only IT specialists can obtain a Blue Card under the exception mentioned above if they have the necessary professional experience in addition to their training. Nevertheless, even people who have completed training are generally considered to be skilled workers. You can find out which residence permit is suitable for you here.
Minimum salary EU Blue Card
In order to obtain an EU Blue Card, the annual gross salary of your job in 2024 must be at least 45,300 euros. You can find more information on this salary limit here.
For certain professions that are in particularly high demand in Germany (shortage occupations), a lower limit of currently (2024) at least 41,041.80 euros applies. The same limit also applies to young professionals who have obtained their university degree within the last three years before applying for the EU Blue Card. This is intended to make it easier for them to enter working life.
In the past, the qualification obtained with the degree also had to correspond to the desired employment. However, the legislator has now abolished this linking of employment to the degree in order to do justice to the flexibility of modern working life. Skilled workers can now work in any job.
List of shortage occupations
- Specialists in information and communication technology
- Architects
- Designer
- Doctors (incl. dentists and veterinarians)
- Physiotherapists
- Engineers and engineering scientists
- Mathematician
- Scientist
- Teacher
- Spatial, urban and traffic planners
- Managers in production, construction and logistics
- Managers in the healthcare sector
Professional practice
If a permit is required for practicing a profession under German law (e.g. medicine, engineering), the applicant must provide evidence of the existence of this permit or its approval before the EU Blue Card is issued.
Authority competence
The EU Blue Card can be applied for within Germany at the local immigration office. Depending on which country you come from, you may need a visa to enter Germany. Once you have entered the country, you can apply for the EU Blue Card at the relevant immigration office.
A visa is not required for entry to the following countries: USA, Japan, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Israel and New Zealand. Citizens from these countries can enter the country without a visa.
If you live outside the EU and do not come from the above countries, you usually need a visa for the purpose of gainful employment. This is issued to you by the relevant German mission abroad. With this visa you can enter Germany and apply for the EU Blue Card at the foreigners authority responsible for you. It is important to note that you must apply for the EU Blue Card before your visa expires.
Skilled workers who have held an EU Blue Card in another EU member state for at least 12 months can also enter Germany without a visa in order to apply for an EU Blue Card. In this case, the EU Blue Card must be applied for within one month of entering Germany.
People who already have a valid residence permit can also apply for an EU Blue Card. Of course, they do not need a visa either, as they are already in Germany.
Advantage of the accelerated skilled worker procedure
You can apply for an EU Blue Card using the so-called accelerated procedure for skilled workers. The accelerated procedure for skilled workers ensures that appointments are made more quickly at the German diplomatic mission abroad so that you receive your visa more quickly and, if necessary, includes the recognition procedure for a foreign qualification.
Advantages of the EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card opens up many opportunities. Holders of this residence permit have very easy access to the German labor market, with the same rights and obligations as German employees, and can live in Germany without any further requirements. While they are working in Germany, they can travel freely within the EU in their free time.
With the EU Blue Card, it is possible to apply for a permanent work and residence permit, the so-called settlement permit, after just 21 months of residence, provided you can prove that you have German language level B1. And even if you only have a basic knowledge of German (level A1), you can still apply for a settlement permit after 27 months.
In addition to working, you can also bring your close family (children, spouse, parents of both you and your spouse) to join you as part of family reunification.
No approval from the Federal Employment Agency
The Federal Employment Agency must carry out a labor market check, which basically consists of the so-called priority check (checking whether German employees or employees with equivalent status - e.g. from EU member states - are available for the job) and checking the employment conditions.
However, if the annual gross income is at least 45,300 euros, i.e. the general salary limit for the EU Blue Card, approval from the Federal Employment Agency is not required. This means that only employees in shortage occupations or career starters require the agency's approval.
What documents are needed for the application?
- Copy of passport
- Biometric passport photo
- Copy of your original university degree
- Copy of the English translation of your university degree
- Resume
- Letter of intent or employment contract from a company in Germany (incl. detailed job description)
If applicable, you will also need:
- Copy of your spouse's passport
- Biometric passport photo of your spouse
- Copy of the marriage certificate
- Translated version of the marriage certificate
- Copy of your child's passport
- Copy of your child's birth certificate
Regional differences in the application for the EU Blue Card
The formal requirements for applying for an EU Blue Card vary in practice, depending on where in Germany the EU Blue Card is applied for. The legal requirements are the same, but the forms, the required documents and the method of submitting the application may differ.
In our overview, you will find the practical requirements for the cities of Berlin, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Essen, Frankfurt, Cologne, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart with further notes.
You can find all the information about applying abroad and the country-specific practical requirements for the United Kingdom, South Africa, India and China here.
The EU Blue Card after Brexit
British professionals will also have the opportunity to apply for an EU Blue Card for Germany after January 01, 2021. Learn more about the possibilities and potential of the EU Blue Card for British nationals here.
Frequently Asked Questions about the EU Blue Card (FAQ):
For how long can I leave Germany as an EU Blue Card holder?
You can leave Germany for up to 12 months without losing your EU Blue Card. The 12-month period also applies to your family members.
Are German language skills required to obtain the EU Blue Card?
No, unlike other residence permits, no German language skills are required to obtain an EU Blue Card. This applies to both the applicant and their family.
If you can demonstrate language skills at level B1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), you can apply for a permanent work and residence permit after just 21 months with an EU Blue Card. However, language skills are not mandatory. Without language skills, the waiting period for the possibility of applying for a permanent work and residence permit is extended to 27 months.
What happens if I lose my job as an EU Blue Card holder?
In case you are dismissed by your employer, you have three months to find a new job. If you do not succeed, there is a risk that your Blue Card will be revoked and you will have to leave Germany again. Get more information about the EU Blue Card and termination here.
Can I change jobs with an EU Blue Card?
It is generally possible for holders of an EU Blue Card to change jobs. However, in the first year of your employment, you must report any change of employer to the immigration authority. The authority then has the option of suspending the change and checking within 30 days whether it is permissible. If the authority allows this period to elapse or does not respond to your notification at all, the change is automatically deemed permissible. After one year, you can change your job without the approval of the immigration authority. However, the basic requirements, such as the minimum salary, must still be met.
Can my family accompany me as an EU Blue Card holder?
Do I need an entry visa for Germany to apply for the EU Blue Card?
What is the minimum salary for obtaining an EU Blue Card?
There are two minimum salary thresholds for the EU Blue Card that must be met in order to obtain an EU Blue Card. The basic salary limit for 2024 is an annual gross salary of 45,300 euros. For so-called shortage occupations, the lower salary limit in 2024 is 41,041.80 euros. Find out more about minimum salary limits here.
Can I travel within the EU with an EU Blue Card?
Yes, holders of an EU Blue Card are permitted to travel to other Schengen states within the EU for tourism purposes without a visa. You can travel to Austria, Belgium, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland for 90 days within a 180-day period. As a rule, it is not possible to take up employment outside Germany without a corresponding residence permit.
What is the period of validity of an EU Blue Card?
The EU Blue Card is usually issued for four years, unless the employment contract is shorter than four years. In this case, the EU Blue Card is valid for the duration of the employment contract plus three months, but never longer than four years. The EU Blue Card can be extended before it expires, provided you still meet all the requirements for an EU Blue Card.
What counts towards the gross salary for the salary threshold for an EU Blue Card?
In principle, certain additional payments can be included in the gross basic salary. These payments count towards the minimum salary if the supplements are agreed in the employment contract and are not dependent on the occurrence of certain conditions. Not every salary component is clear from the outset and requires individual examination in case of doubt.