Germany has a high demand for qualified workers. Especially IT specialists have great chances of quickly finding a job in Germany. Being situated right at the heart of Europe, working in Germany and obtaining a German residence permit or even citizenship opens up access to the whole European Union and more job opportunities there.
Our immigration lawyers at Schlun & Elseven Rechtsanwälte have assisted numerous clients with immigrating to Germany. We consult you on the most appropriate visa for you and are happy to also manage your application. Contact us now, we are there for you every step of the way.
Benefits of working in Germany
The technology sector is steadily growing, meaning Germany requires more and more IT Specialists. This gives you options when looking for a position. A lot of the companies in Germany are small- to medium sized businesses as well as start-up companies. Additionally to Berlin, there are also plenty smaller innovation hotspots like Hamburg, Cologne, Munich and Düsseldorf.
A lot of the businesses within the IT sector have English as their office language, making it easy for specialists without German skills to apply for positions as well.
It is also to be mentioned that Germany is home to a lot of excellent universities and further education centers, giving you the option to seek even greater qualifications during your stay here.
The different options to immigrate to Germany
EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card is valid for up to four years and allows the holder to live and work and reunite with their family in Germany. It is available for professionals that already received a job offer in advance – this job usually has to fulfill the minimum required annual salary of € 56,400 (as of 2022) however for Jobs in the IT area the minimum amount is a little lower at € 43,992 a year.
The EU Blue Card can be applied for at the local immigration offices (Ausländerbehörde) in Germany after entering the country on a three-month German Employment Visa. However, such a visa is not required by citizens from the USA, Canada, Israel, South Korea, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Our Lawyers at Schlun & Elseven Rechtsanwälte consult with you on all matters relating to the EU Blue Card, including the application process, family reunification issues as well as changing employers as an EU Blue Card holder, here it is especially important to get legal advice before making any decisions since the residence permit is conditional to your employment status.
Highly skilled professionals
According to § 18a and § 18b (1) AufenthG, “highly-skilled professionals” can gain a German residence permit for qualified employment. This mostly applies to research assistants, teachers and scientists with particular technical knowledge, whose job offer does not meet EU Blue Card requirements or to professionals who gained their skills through vocational training. Please note, when handing in your application, the relevant authorities also consider German language skills, work experience and previous stays in Germany.
ICT Card
The ICT Card is an option for IT specialists, that are employed by an international corporation. It allows holders to work in a German branch of their employing company for up to 3 years. The prerequisites are, that the employer has been employed at the company for at least 6 months, is not in the probationary period of their work contract and has a university degree or other similar qualifications. It is also possible to switch to another company branch inside the European Union with a mobile ICT Card.
Skilled Immigration Act
The Skilled Immigration Act from 2020 includes skilled workers that do not hold a university degree. This benefits specialists that had vocational training and IT specialists that can show extensive professional experience of at least three years (that they gained within the last seven years). IT specialists with extensive experience do have a minimum annual salary requirement of € 49,680. The applicants usually need to speak German on a B1 Level, although this requirement can be waived. Contact us, to evaluate if it can be waived for you too. The skilled Immigration Act was introduced to counter the rising skilled labor shortage in Germany; therefore, employers do not need to do a resident labor market test.
Entrepreneural Visa
It is also possible to start a business in Germany under § 21 of the German Residency Act. This visa allows entrepreneurs to stay in Germany for three years as long as their business
- meets a regional need or economic interest,
- has a positive impact on the German economy
- and financing is secured.
We have assisted countless entrepreneurs worldwide with their immigration process to Germany. One of the most important steps is to provide a convincing and detailed business plan. Learn more about writing a business plan here.
As a full-service law firm, we are happy to continue to be by your side also after successfully having immigrated and founded a business here to advise you in any legal matters that might arise.
Job Seeker Visa
The Job Seeker Visa gives IT professionals without a definite job offer the chance to come to Germany for a period of six months to look for suitable employment.
The applicant must
- hold a bachelor’s or master’s degree that is equivalent to a German university degree,
- five years of experience in their field of studies
- and sufficient funds to finance their stay in Germany, including travel and medical insurance.
Legal Support
Our full-service law firm has regularly worked with IT Professionals moving to Germany for work. Our experienced immigration lawyers are most qualified to advise you on all the best options for moving to Germany in English and many more languages. Contact us today to get your immigration process started.
