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Apply for a residence permit for employment as a specialist with academic training

Source: Zuständigkeitsfinder Schleswig-Holstein (Linie6Plus)

Service Description

If you have a university degree and would like to work in Germany in a job for which your degree qualifies you, you can obtain a residence permit under certain conditions.

A residence permit for employment as a skilled worker with academic training gives you access to the labour market in Germany. It can only be applied for in person at your local Foreigners' Registration Office. Spouses of holders of a residence permit to pursue qualified employment are also entitled to a residence permit.

You can apply for a residence permit if you have a completed university degree. If you do not have a German university degree, your degree must either be recognised or comparable with a German university degree. You can have your degree recognised or determined to be comparable before you enter Germany.

You must also submit an employment contract or a binding job offer. From the age of 45, you must provide evidence of a certain minimum salary. The minimum gross salary is set annually and is EUR 45,540 in 2020. Even if you do not reach this minimum salary, you can still obtain a residence permit to pursue qualified employment if you present proof of adequate retirement benefits or in special cases. A special case may be that there is a public interest in the employment.

The Federal Employment Agency examines whether the working conditions correspond to those of comparable German employees and whether a domestic employment relationship exists.

The residence permit is a temporary residence title. It is issued for 4 years in the case of unlimited employment relationships and can be extended. If the duration of your employment relationship is less than 4 years, the residence permit is issued for the duration of your employment contract.

As the holder of a residence permit for qualified employment for skilled workers with a university degree, you can also obtain a settlement permit under certain conditions. This entitles you to permanent residence.

Exception: As a national of an EU state, you have access to the labour market on the basis of your right to freedom of movement and do not require a residence permit. Within the framework of the right of settlement or the freedom of movement of workers, you can pursue a self-employed activity or employment in Germany. This also applies to nationals of the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland.

Note: If you are highly qualified, you may also be eligible for the "EU Blue Card" as a residence permit. In this case, other requirements apply, including a minimum salary regardless of age.


Process flow

You must apply for your residence permit in person:

  • Make an appointment with the foreigners authority responsible for your place of residence.
  • During the appointment, your documents will be checked and your fingerprints will be taken for the electronic residence permit (eAT card). The authority will send your application to the Employment Agency.
  • The Employment Agency sends feedback to the Aliens' Registration Office.
  • If your application is approved, the Aliens' Registration Office commissions the Bundesdruckerei to produce the eAT card.
  • You will receive notification by post that your application has been approved and the eaT card will be produced, or that your application has been rejected.
  • As the eAT card is linked to an online ID function, you must collect it in person.
  • You will receive information by post that you can collect the eAT card from the Aliens' Registration Office.
Who should I contact?

Foreigners' registration office in your town or municipality

Hotline "Working and Living in Germany" of the Federal Government
Telephone: 030 18151111
Service hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Competent authority

Aliens department of your city or municipality

Requirements
  • You have
    • a German university degree, or
    • a recognised foreign university degree, or
    • a foreign university degree that is comparable to a German university degree.
  • You have
    • a job or
    • a job offer.
  • You possess a qualification that qualifies you to perform the job.
  • If required, you have a licence to practise your profession, e.g. licence to practise as a pharmacist.
  • Working conditions and in particular salary must be comparable to those of a German employee, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is required.
  • You can secure your livelihood and health insurance cover from your income without claiming public benefits.
  • There is no interest in deportation against you.
  • Your stay does not endanger or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Which documents are required?
  • If you are entering Germany with an appropriate visa:
    • valid passport with visa
  • As far as there is a previous stay with a residence title for another purpose:
    • valid passport
    • residence permit

Additionally:

  • current biometric photo
  • Original of employment contract or binding offer of employment
  • Original of the certificate of successfully completed university education
  • if available:
    • Notification of recognition or comparability of the university degree
    • Certificate evaluation of the Central Office for Foreign Education
  • for regulated professions: Your professional license (for example, approbation or professional permit)
  • Current certificate of registration
  • if required: licence to practise your profession
  • Proof of health insurance
  • Rental contract
What are the fees?

Issue of residence permit: EUR 100,00

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

Residence permit application: at least 8 weeks before your visa or residence permit expires.

Validity of your residence permit:

  • As long as your employment contract if your employment contract is valid for less than 4 years,
  • 4 years if your employment contract is valid for at least 4 years or indefinitely.
Processing duration

about 6 to 8 weeks

Legal basis
Applications / forms
  • Forms: yes
  • Online procedure possible: no
  • Written form required: yes
  • Personal appearance required: yes

You can obtain the forms from your competent foreigners authority or from their website.

Author

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

Teaser

If you have a university degree and would like to work in Germany in a job for which your degree qualifies you, you can obtain a residence permit under certain conditions.

Process flow

You must apply for your residence permit in person:

  • Make an appointment with the foreigners authority responsible for your place of residence.
  • During the appointment, your documents will be checked and your fingerprints will be taken for the electronic residence permit (eAT card). The authority will send your application to the Employment Agency.
  • The Employment Agency sends feedback to the Aliens' Registration Office.
  • If your application is approved, the Aliens' Registration Office commissions the Bundesdruckerei to produce the eAT card.
  • You will receive notification by post that your application has been approved and the eaT card will be produced, or that your application has been rejected.
  • As the eAT card is linked to an online ID function, you must collect it in person.
  • You will receive information by post that you can collect the eAT card from the Aliens' Registration Office.

Who should I contact?

Foreigners' registration office in your town or municipality

Hotline "Working and Living in Germany" of the Federal Government
Telephone: 030 18151111
Service hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Competent authority

Aliens department of your city or municipality

Requirements

  • You have
    • a German university degree, or
    • a recognised foreign university degree, or
    • a foreign university degree that is comparable to a German university degree.
  • You have
    • a job or
    • a job offer.
  • You possess a qualification that qualifies you to perform the job.
  • If required, you have a licence to practise your profession, e.g. licence to practise as a pharmacist.
  • Working conditions and in particular salary must be comparable to those of a German employee, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is required.
  • You can secure your livelihood and health insurance cover from your income without claiming public benefits.
  • There is no interest in deportation against you.
  • Your stay does not endanger or impair the interests of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Which documents are required?

  • If you are entering Germany with an appropriate visa:
    • valid passport with visa
  • As far as there is a previous stay with a residence title for another purpose:
    • valid passport
    • residence permit

Additionally:

  • current biometric photo
  • Original of employment contract or binding offer of employment
  • Original of the certificate of successfully completed university education
  • if available:
    • Notification of recognition or comparability of the university degree
    • Certificate evaluation of the Central Office for Foreign Education
  • for regulated professions: Your professional license (for example, approbation or professional permit)
  • Current certificate of registration
  • if required: licence to practise your profession
  • Proof of health insurance
  • Rental contract

What are the fees?

Issue of residence permit: EUR 100,00

What deadlines do I have to pay attention to?

Residence permit application: at least 8 weeks before your visa or residence permit expires.

Validity of your residence permit:

  • As long as your employment contract if your employment contract is valid for less than 4 years,
  • 4 years if your employment contract is valid for at least 4 years or indefinitely.

Processing duration

about 6 to 8 weeks

Legal basis

Applications / forms

  • Forms: yes
  • Online procedure possible: no
  • Written form required: yes
  • Personal appearance required: yes

You can obtain the forms from your competent foreigners authority or from their website.

Author

The text was automatically translated based on the German content.

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