If you are a citizen of a European Union member state and meet the necessary criteria, you may be able to get a "Blue Card" to work in Germany temporarily. However, those planning to work in Germany must get a German resident visa. Germany's "blue card" programme streamlines obtaining a permanent residency visa for high-demand professionals to entice them to relocate to the country.
A regular work VISA for competent professionals and a VISA for seekers if you have never found a job yet are alternatives to a German EU Blue Card. These choices have less stringent criteria regarding income and education but provide less in return. However, the EU Blue Card is your best bet if you have a university degree and can get a high-paying job in Germany.
Germany Pay For An EU Blue Card
An annual income of €56,400 (about $4,700 per month) is required to qualify for an EU Blue Card in Germany. The standard starting pay is €43,992 per year (about $3,667 per month). However, this might drop to €3,666 if you perform in a "shortage" occupation.
Obtaining a Blue Card in Germany is contingent upon being approved by the German Federal Employment Agency if your annual income is below €56,400. This is the minimum wage that must be met in 2021. The base wage is adjusted annually to be at least 5 - 10 times the average income in Germany.
Field Requirements For EU Blue Cards Germany
You may apply for just an EU Blue Card if you have a bachelor's degree, relevant work experience, and a salary of at least €56,400 per year. If you have qualifications in a field experiencing a shortage, you may find it simpler to get a Blue Card. It is no secret that Germany's natural science and engineering sectors suffer from a severe labour shortage.
· Aesthetics of construction and decoration
· Transportation and city planning engineers
· Engineering Medicine Scientific
· Technologies of information and communication
Acceptance Requirements in Germany Documentation of Eligibility for Membership in the European Union
A person from outside of Germany must satisfy the following requirements to submit an application for such a Blue Card in that country.
You must have a degree from a university in Germany and an equivalent degree from a university in another country that is recognized in Germany. Possess a binding employment agreement or firm job offer from either:
In 2021, workers in mathematics, information technology, natural sciences, engineering, & human health may expect a minimum wage of at least €56,800 OR at least €44,304.
Once the primary applicant's Blue Card has been accepted, immediate family members may apply for employment and residence permits. A spouse of a German Blue Card holder is entitled to work in the country without limitations, including a minimum wage requirement.
What Are The Advantages Of Having A European Union Blue Card?
Your EU Blue Card will be valid for the length of your employment contract plus three extra months, up to four years. The EU Blue Card's validity may be extended, provided specific conditions are met. Any job changes made during the first two years of work in Germany need the approval of the local German Foreigners' Authority.
The EU Blue Card enables its users to continuously apply for a residence visa after living in the EU for 33 months. After 21 months, a settlement permit may be granted in particular circumstances. Evidence of language proficiency at least equivalent to B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference of Languages is necessary for this (CEFR).
How do you feel about relocating your family to Germany? Any person possessing an EU Blue Card has the right to do so. The Family Life in Germany section includes all the relevant information, including the requirements.
Germany Submitting An Application For A Blue Card From The European Union
The application procedure differs according to the applicant's place of origin and whether or not they are currently residing in Germany.
Process When Living Abroad From Germany
If you haven't made it to Germany quite yet since you're still at home, you may follow these steps to get there:
Send in your application for a VISA to work in Germany. Before travelling to Germany, you may need to apply for a VISA to work or look for work, depending on your nationality (see above). Apply to the appropriate German embassy. Remember that you may begin processing your Blue Card application as soon as you have a firm job offer or contract.
Make a German address registration. You require two (2) weeks from the date of your arrival in Germany to complete the registration process for your new residence. In Germany, you may do this at any registration office. However, it would help if you looked for a place to live and created a bank account before you even got there.
Join the EU with a Blue Card application in Germany. After touching down in Germany, you may immediately begin the registration procedure at the local immigration office.
Official EU Membership Certificate For Germany
A university or college degree and a job offer from a German employer paying at least €56,800 annually are required for a Blue Card application (2021).
The average annual wage for jobs with a skilled labour shortage is €44,304. (2021). This includes professionals in engineering, medicine, competent communications and technology specialists, and a few more.
No "priority reviews" will slow down the process for eligible people. As a result, it may not be necessary to go through the time-consuming process of determining whether or not eligible Germans or non-German present residents are first in line for individual posts.
The first period that a Blue Card is good for might be up to four years. (The duration of validity may be less than four years if the employment agreement is for a shorter amount of time.) After three years, you'll be able to apply for an Aufenthaltstitel, permission that allows you to stay in Germany indefinitely. After two years, a Blue Card holder who reached Level B1 in German may apply for a free residence visa.
Members of a Blue Card holder's immediate family are granted unlimited employment authorization in Germany. To accompany a Blue Card holder to Germany, a spouse need not be fluent in German.
It is possible to move from one EU nation to another or to leave the EU for a prolonged time, but this freedom is subject to the laws and interpretation of the EU directive in each EU member state. (For instance, after obtaining a Blue Card in Germany, its possessor must remain in that country for 18 months before being able to relocate to another nation.)
As previously indicated, these provisions form the new law's backbone. Aside from that, there are additional requirements. If you are presently in Germany and would like additional information on how to get a Blue Card, you should get in touch with the local authorities. A person who is not a German citizen but who resides outside of Germany may apply for a Blue Card at the German embassy or consulate in their country.
Can You Tell Me More About The Perks Of Having This Card Beyond Employment And Family Visits?
A cardholder may leave the European Union for up to a year and return to their home country or another non-EU state without reapplying for the Card. Tourist visits to the other Schengen States are permitted for up to 90 days, every 180 days for Blue Card holders. In addition, blue Cardholders with at least 18 months of continuous status are eligible to apply for such a Blue Card in any other state. That includes later immigration from relatives who already hold a residence title.
Family reunification is an option for EU Blue Card holders, and spouses may be eligible for residency if they apply without previous language proficiency.
After a certain period, a Blue Card holder may apply for permanent residence in the European nation. For instance, Blue Card holders in Germany may apply for permanent residence after 33 months of employment in a highly professional capacity and proof of sufficient proficiency in German (level B1).
How Long Does It Take For Germany To Recognize The EU Blue Card?
A European Union Blue Card may only be used for four years. The Card will be given an additional three months if the employee's work contract is for less than four years. There is a three-month grace period after an employee's contract expires, during which they are free to hunt for other work.
A person must wait 33 months before applying for permanent residency. In 21 months, a person who can speak German at the B1 level may apply for permanent residency.
Explain The Process For Applying For A Blue Card To Study In The EU
Students from outside the EU are not eligible to apply for a Blue card throughout their time in school. Therefore, student visas are the only residence permit that may be used for the whole length of a student's time in school.
Graduates of a German university can extend their stay in the country by an additional 18 months to find gainful employment. The blog discusses the many employment opportunities available to overseas students once they graduate.
EU Blue Card applications in Germany may be submitted by international students who have been offered jobs with yearly salaries that exceed the required minimum. However, it is important to remember that a university degree is required in Germany to qualify for an EU Blue Card.
When EU Blue Card Holders Become Unemployed, What Options Do They Have?
If Blue Card holder loses their employment, they are required by law to inform the appropriate immigration agency. But they still have the legal right to stay in Germany. In certain cases, the immigration service may temporarily restrict your stay. Sometimes, employers would allow foreign nationals three months to find other work.
Can I Use My German EU Blue Card To Travel And Work In Other EU Countries?
As long as both the place of employment and the place of home are inside Germany, a Blue Card holder is free to move freely between the two.
Cross-border employees in Germany must have a "permit for frontier workers" issued by their home country. The immigration authorities issue permits for frontier workers at the site of employment.
EU Blue Card holders may stay visa-free in any other Schengen country for up to 90 days or 180 days for tourism purposes.
Germany also waives the visa requirement for EU Blue Card holders who have lived in another EU member state for at least 18 months. Within 30 days, they are eligible to apply for a Blue Card in Germany.
For up to 12 months, EU Blue Card holders may travel to countries outside the EU. There will be no impact on their right to stay in Germany as permanent residents. An applicant's time spent outside Germany will not affect their chances of being granted a settlement permit.
Should I Inform The German Immigration Office If I Change Jobs?
After receiving an EU Blue Card, you are required to inform the local German Immigration Authority of any job changes for the first two years of work. Examples include being laid off or switching companies.
After working in Germany for two years, you may switch jobs without getting permission from the government, so long as the new position is in line with the requirements of the German EU Blue Card.
Blue Cardholders who experience a job loss in Germany have three months to search for new employment. Then, take your employment contract and any supporting paperwork to the local Immigration Authority to update your details, and your residence permit is settled after you've secured a job.
Germany's Access To The European Union With Dependents
You may bring your family to Germany if you have a Blue Card. They may apply for a visa and permanent residency without proving they can speak German. However, you must satisfy the following requirements to bring your loved ones with you to Germany:
· You should be able to provide adequately for your loved ones.
· Your home must be spacious enough to accommodate you and your family comfortably.
· Everyone in your family has to be covered by health insurance.
· Your children will be able to attend a school taught in German while you are living there. It is OK if your partner returns to school or gets a job. If you want your spouse to work, they may do whatever kind of work they choose.
programConclusion
It was in 2012 that Germany first launched the EU Blue card to reduce red tape and facilitate immigration from countries outside the EU to address shortages of qualified workers in certain fields. It is sometimes compared to the United States Green Card as a document with a comparable function.
However, skilled employees who did not attend college but have relevant job experience are not eligible for the Blue Card since they do not have a four-year degree in a relevant field. Germans afflicted by this issue have access to a comparable programme that does not need a college degree but still provides access to Blue Card benefits: It's the German Work Permit.
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