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5 steps for successful labour migration

EU Blue Card for skilled workers with high professional qualifications

The EU Blue Card (§ 18g AufenthG) is a visa for taking up employment and is aimed at citizens of non-EU countries who wish to work in Brandenburg. The requirements for this are an academic degree, educational qualifications with at least three years of training or previous employment as an IT specialist or manager, even without formal qualifications (§ 18g para. 2 AufenthG). To obtain this visa, the applicant must have a job that matches their qualifications and a certain salary. This visa offers numerous advantages, such as shorter deadlines for obtaining a permanent residence permit, simplified family reunification without the requirement of language skills and proof of sufficient living space for the family, as well as the possibility of parents and parents-in-law joining the applicant.

The general requirements (Section 5 (1) AufenthG) for entry to Brandenburg are Passport, proof of financial means, no existing reason for deportation. In order to successfully obtain the "EU Blue Card" visa for labour migration to Brandenburg, you already need an employment contract with an employer with a guarantee of employment of at least 6 months. Before applying for an entry visa, clarify which qualifications are recognised and which language skills are required for the intended job.

Step 1

Check requirements

  • Equivalence or comparability of the foreign university or vocational qualification, possibly a licence to practise.

    - Information on the recognition of university qualifications: Anabin.kmk.org

    - Information on the recognition of vocational qualifications: For skilled workers (anerkennung-in-deutschland.de)
     
  • Employment in Germany appropriate to the qualification
  • Concrete job offer in Germany or valid employment contract with a minimum employment period of six months
  • Required gross annual salary of at least €45,300 (year 2024) for regular occupations and €41,041.80 (year 2024) for bottleneck occupations (list of bottleneck occupations) as well as for young professionals
  • Special case: IT specialist without formal qualification + at least three years of professional experience at university level + concrete job offer as IT specialist or valid employment contract (at least six months' employment): annual gross salary of at least €41,041.80 (year 2024) 
     

Requirements EU Blue Card for IT specialists without formal qualifications

  • Specific job offer as an IT specialist
  • Employment in Germany commensurate with the qualification
  • Employment contract for at least 6 months of employment
  • At least 3 years of professional experience in the IT sector in the past 7 years
  • At least €41,041.80 gross annual salary (2024)

Step 2 (in the home country)

Appointment request at the German Embassy

 

Note: Find out about the expedited procedure for skilled workers – with the help of your employer, this can shorten the entry process.

Step 3

Apply for a visa

 

Please note: The processing time varies considerably depending on the mission abroad and the processing effort involved. Please check the website of the relevant embassy

Step 4 - in Germany

Entry to/arrival in Germany

Issuance of an entry visa for the purpose of taking up skilled employment.

  • A valid health insurance policy must be presented in order to obtain the entry visa.
  • After entering the country, a new health insurance policy must be taken out in Germany.
  • Book your trip to Germany.

Step 5

Apply for a residence permit at your place of residence

  • Register your residential address in Germany with the residents‘ registration office (within two weeks of arrival)
    - Residents’ registration offices in Brandenburg
  • Book an appointment with the relevant immigration office
    - Find the immigration office responsible for you: BAMF-NAvI - Authorities
  • Find out which documents are required from the immigration office and prepare them
  • Apply for a residence permit to take up skilled employment (Sections 18a, 18b of the Residence Act).
  • Fees can be up to €100 (Section 45 ff of the Residence Ordinance)

 

Note: The application for a residence permit must be submitted before the entry visa expires.

Links and brochures

Explanatory video: EU Blue Card

wach on YouTube

Explanatory video: Getting started as an IT specialist in Germany

watch on YouTube

Required knowledge of German

Depending on the type of visa, different levels of German language proficiency may be required (PDF document).

Recognition of university degrees

Assessment of non-German higher education qualifications: Anabin.kmk.org

Information on the recognition of professional qualifications

For skilled workers – anerkennung-in-deutschland.de

Recognition in Germany

Information portal for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications: For skilled workers (anerkennung-in-deutschland.de)

Recognition counselling abroad: ProRecognition

In some countries, there are local recognition advice centres: ProRecognition advice centres.

Explanatory video: The accelerated skilled labour procedure

The shorter route to Brandenburg (must be applied for by the future employer): to the YouTube video

Arriving in Brandenburg: Welcome to Brandenburg advice centres

PDF document with regional contacts in the Brandenburg districts

Aliens authorities

Find the immigration office responsible for you: BAMF-NAvI - Authorities

Find the responsible embassy

Websites of German missions abroad

Kontakt

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