The EU Blue Card (Section 18g of the German Residence Act – AufenthG) is a special residence permit for university graduates from abroad or individuals with an equivalent qualification who wish to take up qualified employment in Germany. You can check the “Who needs a visa?” section to see whether you require a visa to enter Germany.
What are the requirements for obtaining an EU Blue Card?
- You have a German higher education degree or a foreign higher education degree that is equivalent to a German higher education degree. Do you not have a traditional higher education degree? In this case, you must present another tertiary-level qualification with a minimum duration of three years in order to obtain the EU Blue Card. In Germany, this qualification must at least correspond to level 6 of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011) or level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework. Examples include continuing education diplomas such as the "master craftsman" and professional diplomas in education-related fields. You can find information on the equivalence and recognition of foreign higher education degrees in the "Recognition of Foreign Qualifications" section.
- You have a concrete job offer from a company in Germany. The following conditions apply to this job offer:
- The duration of the employment must be at least six months. .
- The job must correspond to your qualification (higher education degree). If a professional license is required (for regulated professions), it must be available or promised at the time of the visa application submission.
- The job in Germany must allow you to earn a gross annual salary of at least 48,300 euros (in 2025).
- If you work in occupations with a labor shortage, you can also obtain the EU Blue Card with a gross annual salary lower than at least 43,759.80 euros (in 2025), provided that the Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit [BA]) has approved your employment. The Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) publishes the salary thresholds for each year. In Germany, the following professional categories are considered as occupations with a labor shortage:
- Managers involved in the manufacturing of goods, mining, construction, and logistics.
- Managers involved in the manufacturing of goods, mining, construction, and logistics.
- Managers for the provision of specialized services such as, for example, childcare, healthcare, or education.
- Skilled workers with a university degree in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) disciplines.
- Skilled workers with a university degree in architecture, urban planning, and transportation planning.
- Doctors.
- Veterinarians.
- Dentists.
- Pharmacists.
- Skilled workers in nursing and midwifery with a university degree or equivalent qualification.
- Teachers and educators in the school and extracurricular fields.
Here you will find a detailed overview of the occupations with a labor shortage for the EU Blue Card.
Exceptional case: the EU Blue Card for IT professionals without formal qualifications.
You are an IT professional or an executive in the IT field without a formal degree and wish to work in Germany in your profession? An EU Blue Card can also be issued to you under certain conditions.
- You must provide a concrete job offer as an IT professional in Germany. The duration of the employment must be at least six months.
- With the job in Germany, you must earn a gross annual salary of at least 43,759.80 euros (in 2025).
- You must have acquired at least three years of professional experience in the IT field over the past seven years. The professional experience must be at a university level and essential for performing the job in Germany.
Do you meet the requirements mentioned? If so, you are entitled to the issuance of an EU Blue Card in accordance with Section 18g of the German Residence Act (AufenthG). Find out about the visa and entry process.