Residence permit - skilled workers with academic training

Description

Visa procedure
If you belong to a third country (not the EU, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland), you generally need a visa to enter Germany for the purpose of employment, which must be applied for at the German diplomatic mission abroad.

The visa is not required for citizens of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United States of America.

After entering the country
You must first register your residence at the Citizens' Office.

Application and appointment
You must apply for your residence permit before your visa/residence permit expires. If you can enter the country without a visa, you must apply for a residence permit at the Foreigners Office within 90 days of entering the country.

Please submit the application form and the required documents online or by post. After we have checked your application, you will receive an appointment for a personal interview.

Period of validity
The residence permit is valid for four years. If you have an employment contract of less than four years, your residence permit will be valid for as long as your employment contract.

Prerequisites

• You have the following qualifications:
  • You have a German university degree or
  • a foreign university degree that is comparable to a German university degree (see anabin H+ under University and degree or a certificate assessment from the Central Office for Foreign Education - ZAB)
• Employment contract or concrete job offer for qualified employment. This means that a university degree or qualified vocational training is usually required for this employment.
• Vocational training licence (for regulated professions, e.g. healthcare, legal advice or teaching professions)
• Approval from the Federal Employment Agency or an exemption from the approval requirement
  • Approval is obtained from the German diplomatic mission abroad or the Foreigners Office.
• If you are older than 45 and are travelling to Germany for the first time for the purpose of employment:
  
  • You must achieve a gross annual salary of at least 49,830 euros (in 2024) with the intended employment in Germany or you must provide evidence of adequate retirement provision from public or private sources (assets or pension insurance)

Required documents

• Fully completed application form
• Valid passport or passport substitute
• biometric passport photo(only at the appointment, photo machines can be found at the Foreigners Office)
• Valid visa to enter the country to pursue qualified employment (if required, only for first-time applications)
• University degree certificate: If you have a foreign certificate, you must submit a certified German or English translation and an extract from anabin(H+ for university and degree) or a certificate evaluation from the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs for recognition
• Professional licence (for regulated professions, only for first-time applications)
• Employment contract or a concrete job offer (only for initial application)
• Fully completed declaration of employment (please upload together with the employment contract)
• Declaration of employment form
• In the case of an extension: Proof of salary for the first two and last three months
• Adequate pension provision (required from the age of 45 if the salary is not at least EUR 49,830 (2024) per year)
  • Proof of assets or pension insurance from public or private sources in Germany or abroad

Note: Further documents may be required in individual cases.

Legal basis

§ Section 18b (1) AufenthG