Fachkräfte — residence permit for qualified professionals in Germany
A work residence permit for professionals with vocational or higher education. No minimum salary.
- Nurses
- Construction workers
- Electricians
§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).
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.
Residence permit in Germany: comparing the options
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.
| Option | Best for | Timeline | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| A settlement permit in Germany | People who have lived in Germany for five years on a work or family permit, skilled workers: three years is enough, or two with a German qualification, blue Card holders: 27 months, or 21 with German at B1 | 1–12 months | from $895 |
| Switching from a §24 permit to a work permit in Germany | People on temporary protection who have found work and want to stay for the long term, graduates who need a status that leads to settlement, anyone tired of depending on the next extension of temporary protection | 1–6 months | from $1,460 |
| Residence permit in Germany through family reunification | Families moving to join a sponsor, children under 18 joining their parents | 3–6 months | from $2,240 |
| Chancenkarte in Germany (the opportunity card) | Qualified professionals, looking for work in Germany | 2–4 months | from $2,350 |
| Fachkräfte — residence permit for qualified professionals in Germanyyou are here | Mid-level technical staff, nurses, construction workers, electricians | 3–5 months | from $3,360 |
| EU Blue Card in Germany | IT specialists, engineers, doctors, researchers | 2–3 months | from $3,360 |
| Freiberufler — freelancer residence permit in Germany | IT freelancers, designers, consultants, journalists | 2–4 months | from $3,920 |
| Residence permit in Germany for remote workers (the equivalent of a Digital Nomad Visa) | Tech employees with a foreign contract, digital nomads | 2–4 months | from $3,920 |
| Relocation of IT teams to Germany | IT companies, startups, corporate HR | 3–6 months | Upon consultation |
What the service includes
| 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 |
Documents and programme requirements
- 1A recognised qualification
- 2An employer’s contract
- 3A passport
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that there is no minimum salary for this visa?
Can the documents be filed without recognition of the diploma?
How does this differ from the Blue Card?
If there is no minimum salary, can any figure be put in the contract?
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