Germany runs a demand-led system with one points-based side door: a job offer plus a recognised qualification gets you in directly, and the Chancenkarte lets you come and search without one.
- 2026-01-01: EU Blue Card minimum gross salary rises to EUR 45,934.20 (shortage/new entrants) and EUR 50,700 (other occupations). official source
Announced by the official authority but not yet in force — always verify against the official source before relying on it.
Overview
Germany rebuilt its labour-migration law in three stages between November 2023 and June 2024 under the amended Skilled Immigration Act (Fachkräfteeinwanderungsgesetz). The system is demand-led at its core: a recognised qualification plus a concrete job offer gives a legal entitlement to a residence permit under §§ 18a (vocational) or 18b (academic) AufenthG, with the EU Blue Card (§ 18g) as the premium track — 2026 salary thresholds of EUR 50,700, or EUR 45,934.20 for shortage occupations and IT specialists without degrees. The one points-based element is the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte, § 20a), launched June 2024, which admits job-seekers scoring six points across qualification recognition, language, experience, age and ties to Germany. Decisions involve three authorities: the German mission abroad (or the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs, BfAA), the Federal Employment Agency (BA) for labour-market consent, and the local Ausländerbehörde after arrival. Citizenship follows after five years; the three-year fast track was repealed in October 2025. Verified against gesetze-im-internet.de and make-it-in-germany.com as of June 2026.
The Main Routes In (2026)
| Route | Legal basis | Core requirement | Initial duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| EU Blue Card | § 18g AufenthG | Degree + job offer at EUR 50,700 gross/yr (EUR 45,934.20 shortage/new entrants/IT specialists, with BA approval) | Up to 4 years |
| Skilled worker — academic | § 18b AufenthG | Recognised degree + job offer; over-45s need EUR 55,770/yr or pension provision | Tied to contract, up to 4 years |
| Skilled worker — vocational | § 18a AufenthG | Recognised vocational qualification (Anerkennung) + job offer | Tied to contract, up to 4 years |
| IT specialist without degree | § 18g AufenthG | 3 of last 7 years relevant IT experience + salary at the reduced Blue Card threshold | Up to 4 years |
| Opportunity Card (job search) | §§ 20a/20b AufenthG | Qualification + A1 German or B2 English + 6 points + EUR 1,091/month funds | 1 year (+ up to 2 as Folge-Chancenkarte with job offer) |
| Recognition partnership | § 16d AufenthG | Employer agreement to complete qualification recognition in Germany | Work from day one; recognition within 3 years |
| Researcher | § 18d AufenthG | Hosting agreement with a research institution | Project duration |
| Family reunification | §§ 28–30 AufenthG | Sponsor's status + housing; spouses generally A1 German (with exemptions) | Matches sponsor |
The Chancenkarte Points Table — Exactly As Enacted
Fully recognised skilled workers get the card without points. Everyone else needs a state-recognised two-year vocational qualification or degree, A1 German or B2 English, and six points from the statutory table (Annex to §§ 20a/20b AufenthG):
- 4 points: a German recognition body has assessed your qualification and found only partial gaps (adaptation measures required) — the single biggest scorer.
- 3 points each: good German (B2); or five years' relevant professional experience within the last seven.
- 2 points each: sufficient German (B1); two years' relevant experience within the last five (if not scoring the five-year item); age 35 or under at application.
- 1 point each: basic German (A2); English at C1; qualification in a recognised shortage occupation; age 36–40; a prior lawful stay of six months or more in Germany within the last five years; a spouse or registered partner who also qualifies for and applies for a Chancenkarte.
- Work rights while searching: part-time employment up to 20 hours per week plus trial employments of up to two weeks per employer (§ 20a(2) AufenthG).
- Conversion: with a qualifying job offer you switch into §§ 18a/18b/18g status — or extend up to two further years as a Folge-Chancenkarte with BA consent.
Who Actually Decides
- German mission abroad / BfAA: the embassy or consulate takes the national-visa decision; Germany is progressively centralising in-country processing of national visas at the Federal Office for Foreign Affairs (Bundesamt für Auswärtige Angelegenheiten, BfAA).
- Federal Employment Agency (BA): gives or refuses labour-market consent where the route requires it — including reduced-threshold Blue Cards and most skilled-worker permits. The BA checks employment conditions, not preference for German candidates in shortage fields.
- Recognition bodies: for vocational routes, a German competent body must first confirm your qualification's equivalence (or you enter via the § 16d recognition partnership and finish the procedure in Germany).
- Ausländerbehörde: after arrival, the local foreigners authority issues the residence permit itself, handles extensions, purpose changes and settlement permits.
- No annual caps: none of the skilled routes is quota-limited — if you meet the statutory conditions for §§ 18a/18b/18g you have a legal entitlement, not a place in a ballot.
From Entry to Settlement to Citizenship
- Settlement permit for skilled workers (§ 18c(1)): after three years on §§ 18a/18b/18d/18g with 36 months of pension contributions and B1 German — reduced to two years (24 months' contributions) for graduates of German universities or German vocational training.
- Blue Card holders (§ 18c(2)): settlement after just 27 months with basic German (A1), or 21 months with B1.
- General rule (§ 9 AufenthG): five years' residence, secure livelihood, pension contributions and B1 German for everyone else.
- Citizenship (§ 10 StAG): five years' lawful habitual residence, B1 German, the naturalisation test (33 questions, 17 to pass, EUR 25), self-sufficiency, a clean record and declarations affirming the free democratic order and Germany's historical responsibility. Fee EUR 255.
- What survived the 2025 rollback: the October 2025 repeal removed only the three-year 'special integration' fast track. The five-year standard and acceptance of dual citizenship — both introduced June 2024 — remain in force.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a job offer before I can move to Germany?
Not necessarily — that is exactly what the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) changed in June 2024. With a state-recognised two-year vocational qualification or degree, A1 German or B2 English, six points from the statutory table and EUR 1,091/month in funds (2026), you can spend a year in Germany searching, working part-time up to 20 hours per week and taking two-week trial jobs. Fully recognised skilled workers get the card without counting points at all. Everyone on the direct routes (§§ 18a, 18b, 18g) does need a concrete offer before applying.
How is the EU Blue Card different from the ordinary skilled-worker permit?
The Blue Card (§ 18g) requires a degree and a salary at the 2026 threshold of EUR 50,700 — or EUR 45,934.20 for shortage occupations, graduates within three years of their degree, and IT specialists with three years' experience in the last seven (no degree needed). In return it gives the fastest settlement track in the system: a Niederlassungserlaubnis after 27 months, or 21 months with B1 German, versus three years for ordinary skilled workers. The standard §§ 18a/18b permits have no general salary floor below age 45 but are tied more closely to the approved job.
How do the Chancenkarte points actually add up to six?
The statutory table awards 4 points if a German recognition body found your qualification partially equivalent; 3 points for B2 German or for five years' professional experience in the last seven; 2 points for B1 German, two years' experience in the last five, or being 35 or younger; and 1 point for A2 German, C1 English, a shortage-occupation qualification, age 36–40, a previous six-month stay in Germany, or a qualifying spouse applying alongside you. Language points do not stack — you score your highest German level only. A typical pass: B1 German (2) + two years' experience (2) + under 35 (2) = 6.
Who can refuse my application even when my employer wants me?
Two authorities besides the mission. The Federal Employment Agency (BA) must consent on most skilled routes and on reduced-threshold Blue Cards — it verifies that pay and conditions match German standards, and refusal of consent sinks the visa. Separately, for vocational qualifications a German recognition body must have confirmed equivalence before the visa stage, unless you use the § 16d recognition partnership to finish recognition after arrival. The mission itself also applies the general requirements of § 5 AufenthG — secured livelihood, clarified identity, a valid passport.
How quickly can I get permanent residence in Germany?
Faster than most people assume. Blue Card holders qualify for the settlement permit after 27 months — or just 21 months with B1 German — under § 18c(2) AufenthG. Other skilled workers on §§ 18a/18b qualify after three years with 36 months of pension contributions and B1, cut to two years if you completed a German degree or vocational qualification. The general five-year rule in § 9 applies to everyone else. Settlement fees run EUR 113–147 depending on category. The clock runs from permit issuance, so early arrival paperwork delays matter.
Is the three-year citizenship route still available in 2026?
No. The 'turbo naturalisation' for specially integrated applicants — introduced with the June 2024 reform — was repealed by the Bundestag in October 2025 and is closed to new applications. What remains of the reform: naturalisation after five years of lawful residence (down from eight before 2024), and dual citizenship is still accepted, so you no longer surrender your original nationality. Requirements are B1 German, the 33-question naturalisation test (17 correct, EUR 25), self-sufficiency, a clean record and the constitutional declarations. The adult fee is EUR 255. Spouses of German citizens have a separate, shorter route under § 9 StAG.