Apply for an EU Blue Card for highly qualified employment

Highly qualified foreign nationals who wish to pursue employment in Germany commensurate with their qualifications can obtain an EU Blue Card.

• Exception: Nationals of EU states have access to the labour market due to their right of free movement. They can pursue self-employment or employment in Germany within the framework of the right of settlement or the freedom of movement of workers.
  This also applies to other nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) and to nationals of Switzerland.

You can obtain the EU Blue Card for a maximum of four years when it is first issued.
If your employment contract has a duration of less than four years, you will receive the EU Blue Card for the duration of the employment contract plus three months.

Attention: If you want to change your job in the first two years after the EU Blue Card has been issued, you must obtain permission from the Aliens' Registration Office to do so.

Holders of an EU Blue Card can obtain a settlement permit if they have

• have been employed for at least 33 months,
• have paid contributions to the statutory pension insurance scheme or to another pension scheme with comparable benefits for this period and meet the following further requirements:
  • Their livelihood is secure.
  • Your stay does not endanger or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.
  • You are allowed to pursue gainful employment and have all the necessary permits for this.
  • You have a basic knowledge of German and of the German legal and social system.
  • They have sufficient living space for themselves and their family.

Those who prove language skills of level B1 and meet the other requirements can receive the settlement permit after only 21 months of employment and payment of contributions.