EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card is a residence permit for the purpose of gainful employment for non-EU citizens with an academic qualification and a certain minimum income. It facilitates mobility within the EU, excluding the member states Denmark, Ireland and UK.

The EU Blue Card is a temporary right of residence. It is issued initially for a maximum of four years. If the duration of an employment contract is less than four years, an EU Blue Card is issued for the duration of the employment contract plus three months.

Holders of an EU Blue Card can be granted a permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) under facilitated conditions; according to German language proficiency after 33 resp. 21 months. Holders of an EU Blue Card may stay outside Germany for up to twelve months without losing entitlement to an EU Blue Card. Under certain conditions, residence periods of holders of an EU Blue Card in several EU member states may also be considered for granting long-term Resident EU-Permit.

The granting of an EU Blue Card requires that:

• you have a German, a recognised foreign or a foreign university or college degree equivalent to a German university or college degree

Database of the Central Office for Foreign Education

• you have a concrete job offer or an employment contract for high-qualification employment with a minimum annual salary of EUR 50.800 (date: 2017).

PLEASE NOTE: For certain occupations with particularly high demand an annual salary of at least EUR 39.624 (date: 2017) is sufficient. This applies to occupations of group 21, 221 and 25 of the International Standard Classification of Occupations.

International Standard Classification for Occupation

• if nec., a permission to practice one's profession has been granted or confirmed,

Regulated professions database

• the means of subsistence are ensured in Germany and
• the stay does not infringe or endanger the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany for any other reason.

 

Within the first two years of employment, holders of an EU Blue Card require approval by the municipal or district immigration office if they want to change employment. Approval will be granted if the requirements for being granted an EU Blue Card also apply regarding the new employment relationship.

Generally, approval by the labour administration is only required for granting an EU Blue Card if you have not graduated from a German university or college and work in an occupation with particularly high demand with an annual salary of at least EUR 39.624 (date: 2017). In such cases, approval by the labour administration does not require to check priority of equally-trained German professionals. If documents are complete, approval is deemed granted two weeks after the documents were received by the labour administration (fiction of approval).

PLEASE NOTE: There are also occupations that can be practised without the approval of the labour administration. The responsible municipal or district immigration office checks whether the occupation requires approval or not.

As the employer, you should check early with the responsible municipal or district immigration office if the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is required. If the Federal Employment Agency has to give approval, you can considerably shorten the decision-making process if you submit the job description form of the Federal Employment Office to the ZAV well in advance. This may be done before starting the visa procedure.

Job description form of the Federal Employment Office
(only in German)

Approval is given by the Federal Employment Agency if the foreigner is not employed on working conditions that are less favourable than those for comparable German employees.

The approval of the Federal Employment Agency can be restricted as regards the activity, the employer, distribution of working time etc, and is basically granted for the duration of the employment.

Leaflet Employment of Foreign Workers in Germany
(only in German)

For information on the labour market licensing procedure please call 0228/713 2000.

Apart from the usual documents several further documents are necessary:

• proof of successful completion of studies at a German university or college or recognition or equivalence of a foreign university or college degree [original and a copy],
• in case of regulated professions an occupational license (e. g. licensure or occupational permit),
• proof of a specific job-offer or employment contract stating salary [original and a copy],
• if nec., completed job description form of the Federal Employment Office.

Checklist required documents for the EU Blue Card
Job description form of the Federal Employment Office (only in German)

• Application Form for an EU Blue Card
• Job description form of the Federal Employment Office

If you have held an EU Blue Card, you will be granted a permanent residence permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis) under facilitated conditions. The permanent residence permit entitles to any kind of occupation.

Apart from the general requirements to be granted a permanent residence permit it is required that you have held an EU Blue Card for 33 months, and have paid compulsory or voluntary contributions to the statutory pension insurance for at least 33 months or have made expenses to be entitled to comparable benefits from insurance or pension scheme institu-tion or an insurance company.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you have language proficiency in German on B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, this period may be shortened to 21 months.

Apart from the usual documents several further documents are necessary:

• valid employment contrat(s) [original and a copy],
• proof of payment of compulsory or voluntary contributions to the statutory pension insurance [original and a copy],
• if nec., proof of language skills (e. g. certificate) [original and a copy].

Checklist required documents for Permanent Residence Permit for EU Blue Card holders

Application Form for an EU Blue Card