The EU Blue Card is a residence title for graduates which is intended to facilitate and promote the permanent immigration of highly-qualified persons from outside the EU to Germany. It is aimed at people entering Germany directly from a third country, or who are already living in Germany or in another EU Member State and hold a residence title.
Section 19a of the Residence Act determines the Blue Card´s requirements. The Blue Card is granted for the purpose of exertion of an occupation that requires highly qualified skills. The applicant is holder of a university level degree, that either has been issued by a German university or is acknowledged as an equivalent to such.
The most important requirement for the issue of an EU Blue Card is a degree from a German or foreign university. If the university degree was not obtained in Germany, it must either be recognised or comparable to a German university degree. Information on the equivalence and recognition of foreign university degrees can be found at www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de. You can check the comparability of the university and the degree on the following page: https://anabin.kmk.org/anabin.html. We will be happy to support you in such assessment procedures.
As a second requirement, the applicant must submit a concrete employment contract or a binding job offer. The minimum gross annual amount is 55,200 € (4,600 monthly) from 01.01.2020. A reduced minimum annual gross salary of 43.056 € Euros applies to employment in the occupational fields of mathematics, computer science, the natural sciences, engineering and human medicine (not including dentistry) . The employment must be appropriate to the qualification (university degree).
If you live outside the EU, you will generally require a visa for the purpose of gainful employment which will be issued by the competent German diplomatic mission. You can enter Germany on this visa. Prior to expiry of the visa, you must subsequently apply to the local immigration authority for the EU Blue Card.
Nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand or the United States of America may enter Germany without requiring a visa, and must subsequently apply for the EU Blue Card within three months, and before taking up employment.
Individuals who have held an EU Blue Card in another EU Member State for at least 18 months may enter Germany without requiring a visa. They can then apply for an EU Blue Card for Germany within one month of entering the country, but before taking up employment.
Individuals who are already living in Germany and hold another residence title may file an application for the EU Blue Card with the immigration authority competent for their place of residence.
The EU Blue Card is a temporary residence title which is issued for the duration of the employment contract plus three months, but for a maximum of four years. An extension is possible, provided that the relevant conditions are satisfied. Any change of employment within the first two years of employment must be approved by the competent immigration authority.
Your family members enjoy less stringent conditions pertaining to family reunification. Spouses are entitled to issuance of a residence title without requiring a knowledge of German, for example, and are granted immediate and unlimited permission to take up employment.
Holders of an EU Blue Card will receive a settlement permit after 33 months in Germany if they have been in highly-qualified employment and paid contributions into a pension fund during this period, and are able to make themselves understood in German on a basic level. The qualification period is shortened to 21 months for persons with an adequate knowledge of German (level B1).
Are you planning to come and work in Germany, or to join your spouse or your family? Or would you like to study at a German University? We inform you about various possibilities and individual requirements for living and working in Germany. You can also find out about the right to asylum.
GHENDLER RUVINSKIJ Rechtsanwälte Partnerschaftsgesellschaft mbB (attorneys at law) consists of a team of experienced lawyers, covering amongst others immigration law, labour law and contract law. We will accompany you during the whole application and acquisition process for obtaining your business visa. We will help you to raise and operate your business successfully in Germany. We are looking forward to hearing from you!