Germany
Work permit in Germany.
To work in Germany without EU, EEA or Swiss citizenship you need a residence and work permit from Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' authority). The main routes are National visa (D), Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis), EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU), ICT card (ICT-Karte). EU Blue Card salary threshold: €50,700 a year since 1 January 2026. Permanent residence is possible after 27 months on most routes.
Permit types
The permits Germany issues
- National visa (D)
- Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis)
- EU Blue Card (Blaue Karte EU)
- ICT card (ICT-Karte)
- Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis)
- Fiktionsbescheinigung
- Social-security certificate (A1 or under an agreement)
Salary levels
What the permit has to pay
Each figure with its legal basis and the official page it comes from.
EU Blue Card salary threshold
€50,700 a year · from 1 January 2026
50 % of the contribution ceiling (§18g(1) AufenthG)
Official sourceEU Blue Card salary threshold: shortage occupations, recent graduates, IT specialists
€45,934 a year · from 1 January 2026
45.3 % of the contribution ceiling (§18g(2) AufenthG)
Official sourceSalary for a first title at 45 or older (skilled workers)
Salary for experienced professionals (§19c(2) AufenthG)
€45,630 a year · from 1 January 2026
45 % of the contribution ceiling; not needed under a binding collective agreement
Official sourceFees and other amounts
What else costs or counts
Fees and other dated amounts, each with the official page it comes from.
National visa fee
€75 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceResidence title fee: first issue (residence permit, Blue Card, ICT card)
€100 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceResidence title fee: extension for more than three months
€93 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceFiktionsbescheinigung fee
€13 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceSettlement permit fee: every case but §18c(3) and §21(4) AufenthG, the Blue Card's under §18c(2) included (§44 no. 3 AufenthV)
€113 · as of 24 October 2026
Official sourceAccelerated skilled-worker procedure fee (§81a AufenthG)
€411 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceZAB statement of comparability fee
€208 · as of 3 October 2026
Official sourceBroadcasting fee (Rundfunkbeitrag) per flat
€18 a month · from 20 July 2021
Official sourceChild benefit (Kindergeld) per child
€259 a month · from 1 January 2026
Official sourceStaying longer
Faster routes and settling
Beschleunigtes Fachkräfteverfahren
the accelerated skilled-worker procedure (§81a AufenthG): the employer applies at the Ausländerbehörde under the worker's power of attorney
Permanent residence: after 27 months
- Blue Card: 27 months of employment on the card with basic German, or 21 months with German at level B1
- Skilled workers: three years on the title (two with a German vocational qualification or degree)
- Pension contributions, livelihood and living space as §18c AufenthG sets out
- Other routes: the general settlement permit after five years on a residence permit, with 60 months of pension contributions, sufficient German and the other conditions of §9(2) AufenthG
EU long-term residence: after 5 years
- Stable and regular resources
- Sickness insurance
- Integration conditions where national law sets them
Citizenship: after 5 years
- Lawful habitual residence for five years
- Commitment to the free democratic basic order
- Livelihood without social benefits, German language and citizenship test as §10 StAG sets out
Authorities
Who does what in Germany
Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' authority)
The local authority that issues and extends residence titles
Official websiteFinanzamt (tax office)
The local tax office; the Bundeszentralamt für Steuern sends the Steuer-ID
Official websiteDeutsche Rentenversicherung (German pension insurance)
Issues the social-insurance number
Official websiteBundesagentur für Arbeit (Federal Employment Agency)
Approves the employment of most skilled workers
Official websiteOther countries
- Sweden
- France
- Netherlands
- Denmark
- Portugal
- Spain
- Belgium
- Norway
- Austria
- Czech Republic
- Poland
- Slovakia
- Hungary
- Slovenia
- Finland
- Estonia
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Greece
- Cyprus
- Malta
- Croatia
- Bulgaria
- Romania
- Luxembourg
- Liechtenstein
- Switzerland
- United Arab Emirates
Official sources
- BMI: salary limits for the EU Blue Card 2026 (BAnz AT 18.12.2025 B3)
- BMI: salary limits for the EU Blue Card 2025 (BAnz AT 04.12.2024 B2)
- §18g AufenthG: EU Blue Card
- German Embassy Belgrade: salary limits 2026 (age 45+, §19c(2))
- Bundesagentur für Arbeit (ZAV): experienced professionals §19c(2)
- §46 AufenthV: fees for visas
- §45 AufenthV: fees for residence permits, the Blue Card and the ICT card
- §44 AufenthV: fees for the settlement permit
- §50 AufenthV: fees for minors (half the fees of §§44–46(2))
- §47 AufenthV: fees for other official acts (Fiktionsbescheinigung, §81a)
- §81a AufenthG: accelerated skilled-worker procedure
- §31a AufenthV: the mission's deadlines in the accelerated procedure
- §36 BeschV: the Bundesagentur's approval deemed given
- §17 Bundesmeldegesetz: registration and deregistration
- §19 Bundesmeldegesetz: the landlord's confirmation
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is the minimum salary for a work permit in Germany?
EU Blue Card salary threshold: €50,700 a year (from 1 January 2026). EU Blue Card salary threshold: shortage occupations, recent graduates, IT specialists: €45,934 a year (from 1 January 2026). Salary for a first title at 45 or older (skilled workers): €55,770 a year (from 1 January 2026).
Who issues work permits in Germany?
Ausländerbehörde (foreigners' authority): The local authority that issues and extends residence titles.
When can someone get permanent residence in Germany?
After 27 months on most routes. Blue Card: 27 months of employment on the card with basic German, or 21 months with German at level B1. Skilled workers: three years on the title (two with a German vocational qualification or degree). Pension contributions, livelihood and living space as §18c AufenthG sets out.
When can someone get EU long-term residence in Germany?
After 5 years on most routes. Stable and regular resources. Sickness insurance. Integration conditions where national law sets them.
Which software can an agency or HR team use to manage work permits in Germany?
Settio is relocation management and work permit software with a plan for Germany: the permit, the steps with the foreigners' authority, the documents, the deadlines and the registrations after arrival, with client and employee portals, quotes and milestone invoices. It runs every EU country in the same workspace, and each case shows only Germany's own rules and sources.
How does Settio help with work permits in Germany?
Settio builds the step-by-step plan for each person moving to Germany, checks documents before filing, tracks deadlines and gives the person a portal in their own language.
More
- Relocating to Germany: the first weeks
- Relocation and immigration across Europe
- AI immigration compliance
Informational only. This guide is not legal advice. Always verify requirements with official government sources before acting. Reviewed by the Settio team. Facts checked 24 October 2026. About this information