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Fachkräfte — residence permit for qualified professionals in Germany

A work residence permit for professionals with vocational or higher education. No minimum salary.

Price
On request
Timeline
3–5 months
Tax
—
Format
In person
“No minimum salary” only holds with a caveat for the 45+ group

§18a/18b AufenthG indeed has no general fixed salary threshold (unlike the Blue Card). But on a first application by an applicant over 45, a salary of at least 55% of the pension insurance contribution ceiling (Beitragsbemessungsgrenze der allgemeinen Rentenversicherung) is required — in 2025 from €53,130/year (≈€4,427.50/month), in 2026 from €55,770/year (≈€4,647.50/month) — or evidence of other adequate pension provision (savings, insurance, property).

Recognition of the qualification (Anerkennungsbescheid) is mandatory and often the longest stage

Official recognition of a foreign diploma or qualification as equivalent to a German one is mandatory for §18a/18b AufenthG. This procedure (through IHK/FOSA, the Handwerkskammer and similar bodies) often takes months and its timing is hard to predict — it is worth setting the client’s expectations for it separately from the timeline of the visa application itself.

What the service includes

Scope: a tick means included in the price, a cross means billed separately
Anerkennung — recognition of the qualification
Agreeing terms with the employer
Filing with the embassy
Ongoing support
Finding a vacancy— billed separately
Language courses— billed separately

What we need from you

  • 1A recognised qualification
  • 2An employer’s contract
  • 3A passport

Frequently asked questions

Is it true that there is no minimum salary for this visa?
Broadly yes — there is no fixed threshold of the kind the Blue Card has. The exception: on a first application at the age of 45+, a salary of at least 55% of the pension insurance contribution ceiling is required (~€55,770/year in 2026), or proof of adequate pension provision.
Can the documents be filed without recognition of the diploma?
No, an Anerkennungsbescheid is mandatory for §18a/18b AufenthG. There is a separate mechanism, “Anerkennungspartnerschaft” — starting work and going through recognition at the same time — but it has its own condition (at least A2 in the language) and is a separate visa track.
How does this differ from the Blue Card?
Fachkräfte (§18a/18b) covers both vocational and higher education with no fixed salary threshold (apart from the 45+ rule). The Blue Card is only for higher education and requires a mandatory annual salary threshold (in 2026 — from €45,934 for shortage occupations such as IT, engineers and doctors, up to €50,700 for all other specialities).
If there is no minimum salary, can any figure be put in the contract?
No. Even without a fixed threshold, the Bundesagentur für Arbeit checks that the salary and working conditions in the contract are comparable with those of German workers in a similar position — an understated figure in the contract can become grounds for refusal.

Sources

Residence permit in Germany: comparison

The difference is not the price — it is who each option suits. The “Best for” column is the business profile the option is built around.

OptionBest forTimelinePrice from
Fachkräfte — residence permit for qualified professionals in Germanyyou are hereMid-level technical staff, nurses, construction workers, electricians3–5 monthson request
Chancenkarte in Germany (the opportunity card)Qualified professionals, looking for work in Germany2–4 monthson request
EU Blue Card in GermanyIT specialists, engineers, doctors, researchers2–3 monthson request
Freiberufler — freelancer residence permit in GermanyIT freelancers, designers, consultants, journalists2–4 monthson request
Residence permit in Germany for remote workers (the equivalent of a Digital Nomad Visa)Tech employees with a foreign contract, digital nomads2–4 monthson request
Residence permit in Germany through family reunificationFamilies moving to join a sponsor, children under 18 joining their parents3–6 monthson request
Relocation of IT teams to GermanyIT companies, startups, corporate HR3–6 monthson request

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