GermanyWork

EU Blue Card in Germany

A visa for highly educated specialists and IT professionals that allows them to work in Germany in a qualified occupation. It is a direct route to permanent residence and citizenship for skilled labour migrants. The employer may be any accredited company, and changing employer is permitted along the way. A spouse may join without any requirement to know German. Time spent in other EU countries on a Blue Card counts towards permanent residence.

Source: gesetze-im-internet.de — § 18g AufenthG (EU Blue Card)

Who can apply

The EU Blue Card is issued to foreign nationals who meet one of three main criteria

University graduates

A degree from a German university or a recognised equivalent (a course of at least 3 years)
An employment contract of 6 months or more in the relevant field
Salary from EUR 50,700 per year

Specialists in shortage occupations

A university graduate of the last 3 years or a shortage occupation
An employment contract of 6 months or more in the relevant field
Salary from EUR 45,934.20 per year

IT specialists without a degree

At least 3 years of professional experience in IT within the last 7 years
An employment contract of 6 months or more in an IT role
Salary from EUR 45,934.20 per year

When this programme will not suit you

You have no higher education degree and no IT experience

Consider other work visas, for example for skilled workers

The salary is below the minimum threshold

Check with the Federal Employment Agency whether your occupation is on the shortage list

The employer cannot offer a 6-month contract

Look for other employment options or discuss the terms with the employer

What it costs

Fee for issuing the EU Blue CardCharged once when the card is issued at the foreigners' authority	100 EUR
Renewal fee for a period of more than 3 monthsApplies when the card is renewed for a period of more than 3 months	93 EUR
Renewal fee for a period of up to 3 monthsCharged when the card is renewed for a period of 3 months or less	96 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. the “Renewal fee for a period of up to 3 months” branch replaces the “Renewal fee for a period of more than 3 months” line — 196 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	193 EUR

Paid separately

Consular fees at the embassy — The embassy may charge separately for accepting the application and issuing the visa
Degree recognition procedure — If the degree is foreign and requires formal recognition, that is a separate paid service

Documents to gather

The following documents must be prepared for the application

Valid passport
Educational document (degree, certificate) with an official translation into German
Employment contract or written job offer for at least 6 months
Employer's statement of the salary and its compliance with the minimum requirements
Proof of accommodation in Germany (tenancy agreement, title deed)
Proof of health insurance
Criminal record certificate (where required by the law of the host country)

How the process runs

Obtaining the EU Blue Card runs through several stages

1
Receiving a job offer from a German employer
usually 1-3 months
Find a German employer willing to offer you an employment contract of 6 months or more. The salary must meet the minimum requirements: EUR 50,700 per year for most specialists, or EUR 45,934.20 per year for shortage occupations and graduates of the last 3 years.
2
Clearance with the Federal Employment Agency (where required)
up to 2 weeks
For some occupations the employer must confirm to the Federal Employment Agency that no suitable EU candidates are available on the market. This depends on the occupation and the size of the company.
3
Filing the visa application at the embassy (unless visa-exempt)
usually 2-4 weeks
Nationals of most countries file a visa application at the German embassy. Nationals of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, South Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States may travel without a visa for 3 months and file the application with the local authority.
4
Arrival in Germany and starting work
within 3 months of receiving the visa
Once the visa has been issued, travel to Germany and start work. The visa or visa sticker allows you to take up employment and file the final application.
5
Filing the application at the foreigners' authority
processing up to 4 weeks
Attend the local foreigners' authority (Ausländerbehörde) with all the required documents. There you will be issued the EU Blue Card for up to 4 years or for the term of the employment contract plus 3 months (whichever is shorter).
6
Obtaining permanent residence
after 21-27 months of work
After 21 months with German at B1, or after 27 months at A1, you may apply for permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis). Basic knowledge of the constitutional order and the laws of Germany, proof of adequate accommodation and a reliable source of income are also required.

Timelines and rights

Work

Work in the qualified occupation. Changing employer is permitted; during the first year the foreigners' authority must be notified of the new job

Who you can bring with you

Family members of an EU Blue Card holder have particular advantages in the conditions for joining

Spouse

May obtain a residence permit to join the family without any requirement to know German. Other work visas usually impose such a requirement. The standard requirements as to age (18) and the validity of the marriage still apply.

Minor children and young people under 16

May join under relaxed integration requirements. No proof of knowledge of German is required if they arrive together with a parent.

Children over 16

If they arrive separately they normally have to prove knowledge of German, but this requirement does not apply where the parent holds an EU Blue Card.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

A specific job offer in Germany of at least 6 months matching the qualification is required

The EU Blue Card can be renewed at the foreigners' authority provided the conditions are still met (employment, salary, accommodation, health insurance). After 21-27 months you can move to permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis), which is issued for an unlimited period and needs no further renewal. Time spent on a Blue Card in other EU countries counts towards the period required for permanent residence.

How it differs from the routes next to it

The comparison is built from the official terms of the routes themselves — the source links sit on their own pages.

	EU Blue Card	Political asylum	Refugee status
Visa term	For the term of the employment contract plus 3 months, up to a maximum of 4 years; renewable	Residence permit usually for 3 years; renewed while the grounds remain	Residence permit for 3 years; renewable; may be revoked if conditions improve
Grounds	Residence permit under § 18g AufenthG for graduates with an employment contract of 6 months or more	State persecution	Persecution
Money	Gross salary from EUR 50,700 per year (as at 2026)	Support under the AsylbLG during the procedure	Support under the AsylbLG during the procedure
Work	Work in the qualified occupation	After recognition and the 3-year residence permit — full access to the labour market	Full access to the labour market after recognition
Residence	A specific job offer in Germany of at least 6 months matching the qualification is required	Main place of residence in Germany; a Residenzpflicht is possible	A Wohnsitzauflage is common in the first years

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Permanent residence (Niederlassungserlaubnis) after 27 months with German at A1, or after 21 months with B1

Route to citizenship

Naturalisation under the general rules after 5 years of residence

Frequently asked questions about EU Blue Card

Which occupations count as shortage occupations for the EU Blue Card?

Shortage occupations are defined by the ISCO-08 classification and cover groups 132, 133, 134, 21, 221, 222, 225, 226, 23 and 25. They include specialists in engineering, information technology, natural sciences and medicine, as well as production managers in manufacturing, mining, construction and logistics. The current list can be obtained from the Federal Employment Agency.

Can I change employer after receiving the EU Blue Card?

Yes, changing employer is permitted once the EU Blue Card has been issued. During the first year after the card is issued, however, you must notify the foreigners' authority of the change of job. The new job must match your qualification. After the first year no notification is required.

How long is the EU Blue Card valid and when can it be renewed?

The EU Blue Card is issued for the term of the employment contract plus 3 months, but for no more than 4 years. If the contract is shorter than 4 years, the card is issued for its duration plus 3 months (a minimum of 6 months). The card can be renewed an unlimited number of times provided the conditions are still met.

Can I work in other European Union countries with an EU Blue Card?

Yes, the EU Blue Card carries a right of mobility within the EU. This means you can move to another EU country and work there. Time spent on a Blue Card in other EU countries counts towards EU long-term residence or on a return to Germany.

What are the German language requirements for the EU Blue Card and for permanent residence?

There is no German language requirement for the EU Blue Card itself. To move to permanent residence, however, German at A1 (the minimum level) is required to obtain the status after 27 months, or B1 (the higher level) to obtain it after 21 months. Basic knowledge of the constitutional order and the laws of Germany is also required for permanent residence.

Other ways to move to Germany

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Germany.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.