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EU Blue Card Long-Term Mobility to Germany

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Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

Official link

What type of worker, employment situation, occupation or professional activity is this pathway actually designed for?

The pathway is for a foreign national holding a valid EU Blue Card issued by another EU member state, who has lawfully resided in that state with it for at least twelve months, and who is then granted a German EU Blue Card under section 18g of the Residence Act. The German EU Blue Card is for a skilled worker with academic training taking up employment in Germany appropriate to their qualification.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18i.html
    Einem Ausländer, der eine gültige Blaue Karte EU besitzt, die von einem anderen Mitgliedstaat der Europäischen Union erteilt wurde und mit der er sich seit mindestens zwölf Monaten rechtmäßig in diesem Mitgliedstaat der Europäischen Union aufhält, wird eine Blaue Karte EU nach § 18g erteilt
  • https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18g.html
    Einer Fachkraft mit akademischer Ausbildung wird ohne Zustimmung der Bundesagentur für Arbeit eine Blaue Karte EU zum Zweck einer ihrer Qualifikation angemessenen inländischen Beschäftigung erteilt

Does the applicant need a job offer, employer, sponsor, transfer relationship or other employer involvement? What is important about that employer relationship?

A concrete job offer is required, and it must provide for employment of at least six months. If the other Blue Card was issued by an EU member state that is not a Schengen state, the holder must carry on entry an employment contract or binding job offer for graduate-level employment appropriate to their qualification, for at least six months in Germany.

See recorded sources

What are the few decisive professional characteristics of the pathway: occupation, qualifications, experience, salary, skill level, shortage status, labour-market condition or equivalent?

An EU Blue Card under section 18g is issued if the section 18g requirements are met, and the distinctive features are prior lawful residence of at least twelve months in the other member state with its EU Blue Card (six months if long-term mobility under Article 21 of Directive (EU) 2021/1883 has been used before), and a salary of at least 50 per cent of the annual contribution assessment ceiling of the statutory pension insurance (at least 45,3 per cent, with Federal Employment Agency consent, for occupations in ISCO-08 groups 132, 133, 134, 21, 221, 222, 225, 226, 23 or 25, or for those who obtained their university degree no more than three years before applying). The qualification-recognition requirement is deemed met unless the other Blue Card has been held for less than two years or was based on professional experience for an occupation not listed in Annex I of Directive (EU) 2021/1883.

See recorded sources

What work does the permission allow? Is the holder tied to an employer, occupation or sector? Can family accompany where clearly established?

The German EU Blue Card is for employment in Germany appropriate to the holder's qualification. A change of job does not need permission from the foreigners authority, but during the first twelve months of employment the authority can suspend the job change for 30 days and refuse it within that period if the Blue Card requirements are not met. The official source does not state whether family members can accompany the holder on this route.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state whether family members can accompany the holder on this route.
  • https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18g.html
    eine Blaue Karte EU zum Zweck einer ihrer Qualifikation angemessenen inländischen Beschäftigung erteilt
  • https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/aufenthg_2004/__18g.html
    (4) Abweichend von § 4a Absatz 3 Satz 4 ist für den Arbeitsplatzwechsel eines Inhabers einer Blauen Karte EU keine Erlaubnis der Ausländerbehörde erforderlich. In den ersten zwölf Monaten der Beschäftigung kann die zuständige Ausländerbehörde den Arbeitsplatzwechsel des Inhabers einer Blauen Karte EU für 30 Tage aussetzen und innerhalb dieses Zeitraums ablehnen, wenn die Voraussetzungen für die Erteilung einer Blauen Karte EU nicht vorliegen.

How long is the permission normally granted for, how is it renewed, and what longer-term residence direction exists if officially stated?

A residence title under section 18g is granted for four years or, if the employment or the Federal Employment Agency consent is for a shorter period, for that period plus six months, but no longer than four years. A Blue Card holder can receive a settlement permit after at least 27 months of employment under section 18g with pension contributions and basic German (21 months with sufficient German), among other conditions. Blue Card holders are also entitled to an EU long-term residence permit after five years, with periods lived in another EU member state counting towards this.

See recorded sources

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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