Germany's new Immigration Law: Focusing on the Blue Card

Germany has introduced a new immigration law, effective from November 2023, aimed at simplifying the process for blue card applicants. Here are the seven key changes:

1. Lower Minimum Salary:

In 2024 the minimum annual salary required to obtain a Blue Card will be reduced to 45.300 EUR. For certain shortage occupations and young professionals, the minimum salary threshold will be reduced to 41.042 EUR.

Young professionals are individuals who have graduated from university within the past three years.

2. More Shortage Occupations:

In Germany's new immigration law, additional occupations have been added to the so-called shortage occupations list. These professions are in high demand, making it easier to obtain a Blue Card.

Shortage Occupations are for example:

1. Qualified workers in manufacturing, construction or logistics

2. IT experts

3. Experts in childcare or healthcare

4. Veterinarians

5. Dentists

6. Pharmacists

7. Nursing and midwifery professionals

8. Teachers and educators in both school and non-school settings

You can find a complete list of shortage occupations here.

3. Expanded Eligibility for IT experts:

Germany’s new immigration law allows IT specialists to apply for a Blue Card without a university degree, provided they can demonstrate at least three years of professional experience. The salary limit for this category is 41.042 EUR annually before taxes. This change is in response to the urgent need for IT specialists in Germany and aims to ease the process for those with substantial professional experience.

4. Improved Mobility:

Germany's new immigration law provides enhanced mobility options for EU Blue Card holders.

Individuals holding a Blue Card from another EU state are granted short-term mobility, allowing stays of up to 90 days in Germany without the need for a visa or a work permit.

For long-term mobility, extending beyond 12 months, Blue Card holders from another EU member state can relocate to Germany without a visa, with the condition to apply for a German Blue EU Card upon arrival.

5. Easier Family Reunification:

The Skilled Immigration Act streamlines the process for family members to join them. Proof of housing and financial support is not required anymore when issuing a residence permits for family members of blue card holders. In addition, blue card holders can also bring their parents and, if the spouse is permanently residing in the federal territory, parents-in-law to join them if they first received their residence permit on or after March 1, 2024.

6. Quicker path to permanent-settlement

Holders of an Blue Card EU can obtain a settlement permit even faster: after 27 months of employment with a Blue Card EU, it is possible to receive it, and with sufficient German language proficiency (level B1 GER), it can be reduced to 21 months.

For graduates of a degree or vocational training in Germany, the current special provision for the settlement permit remains in place: after just two years holding a residence permit for employment as a "skilled professional" (residence title according to §§ 18a, 18b, or 18d AufenthG), they may be granted a settlement permit.

7. Easier Change-of-employer process

Since November 18, holders of a Blue Card EU are no longer dependent on explicit permission from the Foreigners' Registration Office (according to § 18g para. 4 AufenthG) if they want to change their workplace. However, they still need to inform the authority about any change of employer within the first 12 months. The authority can then temporarily suspend the change for 30 days and examine it more closely during this period. If the change is not rejected after the 30 days, it is automatically considered accepted.

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Christine is a co-founder of Jetztpat. She was raised in the so-called Schwabenländle but fell in love with travelling to random places very early in life. After living in Japan and Taiwan for several years, she finally went back home to stay in the German beer capital (where she survives by drinking wine). If she is not watching her favorite Japanese Netflix show aggretsuko, you can find her Googling answers to the real questions in life.