Moving to another country is a life-changing decision and can be a complicated matter. Add to that navigating the German immigration system and starting a whole new life in Germany, and it's enough to make anyone feel overwhelmed. This article aims to help you make an informed choice about the critical question of your visa and work permit for Germany before you apply.
So you want to work in Germany? Great choice! As Software Developers, Cyber Security specialists - in fact, Tech & IT professionals in general - you will be welcome additions to the German workforce due to the current shortfall of qualified personnel. The Skilled Workers Act, which came into force in March 2020, has made it easier than ever for German employers to select talent from non-EU countries.
While we can’t teach you German immigration law in one blog post, we can give you the lowdown on choosing which visa is best for you. If you hold a university degree related to your work, you will most likely be applying for the EU Blue Card or, if your proposed salary doesn’t meet the threshold, a Visa for Skilled Workers.
Speaking of university degrees: The Anabin database (Google it) holds information about both your university and degree that will be used to calculate the equivalency of your qualifications. Not all universities or foreign degrees are present on the database, but it is constantly being updated, and there are additional steps that can be taken, in certain cases, if yours does not appear.
The way this works is simply that you choose EU Blue Card as a category type when you book your appointment at the German embassy or consulate close to your hometown. The online application form will essentially then guide you accordingly.
What is noteworthy here is that once the process is done you’ll receive a big sticker in your passport which is your Blue Card. The actual plastic card, which you may know about, is what you’ll receive a few months after you’ve arrived here because you need to apply for it at the Immigration Office (Ausländerbehörde) here in Germany.
It used to be the case that those with vocational experience or a degree in an area unrelated to their work would most likely apply for the Visa for IT Specialists or a Company Specialist Visa. But starting in 2024, the German government waived the requirement for a university degree for those interested in a Blue Card.
Instead, one needs to prove four years of tangible, i.e., hands-on job-related, project experience in one’s field. So, you will need to demonstrate that not just in your CV but most likely through reference letters. (It is highly unlikely that a clerk at the German embassy will ask you for a back-to-back coding session.)
So, you need to be a non-EU citizen, hold a university degree related to your work or prove those four years of project experience, and pass a minimum salary threshold, which depends on the area you will be working in. Luckily for you, IT professionals are among the highest-paid professionals in Germany.
Naturally, you must hold a binding job offer or work contract lasting at least one year in your hand which is where we can guide you, of course. (Or as we like to say: Don’t worry about visa sponsorship, what you need is a job contract!). This job again must provide you with a minimum pre-tax salary of €41,041.80, which we have never seen being less for anyone in our coaching program. (This is the threshold for 2024, so things are subject to change.)
As mentioned, there is a specialist visa which, due to the legal changes described above, will probably no longer be applied for as much. This visa contains the same working rights as the Blue Card but without the requirement of a recognized degree. You must also have a binding job offer, with an acceptable salary within the normal range for the position.
Additionally, the German Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) needs to verify your qualifications as a specialist in your field of work, as well as ensure your working conditions meet the requirements of German Labor Law. This justification process by ZAV is individual to each applicant; it can take up to a few months to get approval.
Either way, you will need to have proof of health insurance. Germany requires all its residents, including the newcomers, to have a valid health insurance policy. Statutory health insurance will be paid directly from your salary when you start work, so you will even have to show a travel health insurance policy to cover you and your family before your statutory insurance becomes active. A perk of statutory health insurance is that your immediate family members (spouse and children) will also be covered at no additional cost automatically under your policy.
Lastly, you need to have a valid passport. Any visa issued will be connected to your passport, so both need to be valid for at least 6-12 months starting from the visa appointment at your local German diplomatic mission.
The speed. The maximum processing time by law is 90 days, once you’ve made a complete application. Germany wants skilled workers and wants them fast. It is also a faster route to permanent residency. If you are keen to make Germany your permanent home, this will be of interest to you, especially if you’re currently living in another foreign country that will not allow you any permanent residency status anytime soon.
Blue Card holders can apply for permanent residency after only 21 months with a German language qualification at B1 level. Even with basic language skills at A1 level, you can apply after only 33 months. When you consider the usual waiting period before you can apply for permanent residency is 5 years, this is a significant reduction. Further exceptions are available depending on your individual circumstances. Be aware that legal requirements here are generally subject to change, so only take this information as a basis and do proper follow-up research.
Another benefit is that your spouse can join you without any language requirements, and the validity period of their permit will be automatically issued for the same duration as your Blue Card. As with all family reunion cases, your spouse will be free to work for anyone, even themselves as a freelancer, whilst you will be restricted by the Blue Card to working only for your employer.
Also, we have worked with many coachees who came to Germany with their spouse and children. Rest assured they will learn German so fast that you won’t believe it. The good news is that they, too, will all be covered under your health care plan. And, when you want to travel Europe, you all get to enjoy time outside Germany. Within the Schengen states, the holder can visit as a tourist without an additional visa for 90 days in every 180, and with the EU Blue Card, you can spend up to 1 year outside Germany in non-EU countries without invalidating it.
Naturally, we at FAJIG have walked this way a thousand times. We know how you can get here, and it’s always part of our coaching program. Unfortunately we cannot give specific processing times here as this is something particular to individual diplomatic Missions and their current capacities. Good luck with your job applications and we hope that your journey to working in Germany is a smooth one. If you’re interested in learning more about how FAJIG can help you find your job as a software developer, Data Scientist or Tester you are invited to watch our free online training video.
On March 1, 2020, the German parliament passed the new Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz (Skilled Immigration Act). And this is not only a pre-taste of how long German words can be, but also what it means for you. Because the law has, among other things, been passed to bring more professionals from outside the European Union (EU) to Germany.
Obviously, there are hundreds of thousands of blog articles on successfully mastering a job interview. But hardly any take intercultural aspects into consideration when it comes to foreigners applying for a job with a German company in Germany. This is particularly sad when it is intercultural misunderstandings that prevent people from being hired.
