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IMMIGRATION

How Germany’s immigration rules are changing this November

The first phase of Germany's skilled worker law is set to come into force this November, offering simpler routes for qualified professionals to live and work in the country. These are the key changes you should know about.

Published: 18 October 2023 16:48 CEST
Updated: 1 November 2023 17:24 CET
How Germany’s immigration rules are changing this November
An EU Blue Card issued in Nuremberg, Germany. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann

Germany’s sweeping new changes to immigration law have been hotly anticipated since they were announced by the coalition government back in 2022. 

With the new reforms, the Social Democrat-led coalition, which governs alongside the Greens and Free Democrats (FDP), wants to bolster immigration numbers and tackle the country’s mammoth labour shortages. 

The goal to make Germany a country of immigration has seen ministers go back to the drawing board on a piece of legislation that was last amended just before the outbreak of the Covid pandemic: the Skilled Worker Immigration Law.

As part of the latest plans, Blue Cards will be easier to obtain for people on lower salaries in a wide range of professions, there will be more flexible rules for family reunification and a new points-based jobseekers visa known as the Opportunity Card will be brought in.

These changes got the final green light from parliament back in July, and the reforms are now set to come into force in three phases, with the first rule changes applying from November 2023. Two further phases will follow in March – when the Opportunity Card will come into force – and June 2024.

READ ALSO: When will Germany’s new immigration rules come into force?

For now, though, here’s an overview of what’s changing for skilled foreign workers from November this year. 

Easing up Blue Card requirements

One of the most popular routes for moving to Germany as a skilled worker is via the EU Blue Card scheme, which offers work permits for people in skilled professions that traditionally command higher salaries. 

In November, the government has announced that it will be introducing a “new EU Blue Card”, which will make this sought-after document much easier to obtain, as well as giving Blue Card holders greater mobility rights and easier family reunification.

Here are the four main ways the Blue Card is set to change:  

Lower salary threshold

At present, most workers hoping to get their hands on a Blue Card need to be taking home at least €58,400 per year before taxes – in other words, well above the average income – though workers in high-demand fields like IT, mathematics, natural sciences, engineering and medicine, are permitted to have a salary of €45,552.

Two Blue Cards for foreign skilled workers are on a table at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Bavaria.

Two Blue Cards for foreign skilled workers are on a table at the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Bavaria. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Daniel Karmann

From November, this will be lowered dramatically. After this date, the salary requirements will be linked to the so-called pension contribution assessment ceiling: in plain English, the upper salary threshold for paying statutory pension contributions. In future, the salary thresholds for Blue Cards will be set at 45.3 percent of the pension contribution ceiling for in-demand workers in “bottleneck” professions and at 50 percent for everyone else.

That means that in 2023, people in sought-after professions like mathematics, healthcare and IT will get by with a salary of €39,682.80, while all other workers will need earn more than €43,800 to be eligible.

More people will be eligible

Currently, people in the bottleneck professions – i.e. those with the most severe labour shortages – are given special conditions when applying for an EU Blue Card. However, the definition of a bottleneck profession remains quite narrow, with just IT, human medicine, mathematics, engineering and science making the cut.

This will soon be broadened out significantly to include nurses, teaches, pharmacists, vets, dentists, professional service managers and people in manufacturing, mining or construction. That means that these groups will also be eligible for a Blue Card at the lower €39,682 salary. You can find a full, updated list of the bottleneck professions here. 

In addition, career entrants who’ve graduated from university within the past three years will also be eligible for a Blue Card on a lower salary, as will IT workers who can prove they have at least three years of experience – even if they don’t have a degree. 

READ ALSO: COMPARED: What salary do you need to get a work permit in different European countries?

Freedom of movement rights

People who hold a Blue Card from another EU country will be able to come to Germany for up to 90 days on work-related trips without needing a visa. In addition, people who’ve been living in another EU country on a Blue Card for at least a year will be able to live and work in Germany long-term without needing a visa. Instead, they will simply have to apply for a German EU Blue Card at their local foreigner’s authority (Ausländerbehörde).

Streamlined family reunification 

If family members have already gone through the process of applying for a reunification visa once, they will no longer have to repeat this arduous process again in Germany. That’s because the families of EU Blue Card holders who lived with them in another member state can use this previous permit to live and work in Germany without applying for a new visa. In addition, they’ll no longer have to prove sufficient living space or the means to support themselves.

READ ALSO: How foreigners will be able to bring their families to Germany under new skilled worker law

More flexibility for qualified workers

Though this change has received far less fanfare than the Blue Card changes or the points-based Opportunity Card, it could end up being one of the more significant changes in the legislation.

From November, people with vocational or academic qualifications can come and work in Germany if they meet all the requirements – but crucially, they no longer have to work in a field related to what they studied. So someone with a natural sciences degree, for example, could take up a programming job, or a humanities student could move into a management role. 

employee Frankfurt

A man working at an office in Frankfurt. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Sebastian Gollnow

Speaking in a recent interview on The Local’s Germany in Focus podcast, immigration lawyer Sven Hasse explained that this was part of a broader move to loosen up the bureaucracy around foreign qualifications.

“At the moment, immigration is only possible for skilled workers if you have a recognised degree or recognised vocational training,” Hasse said. 

“And that is intended to change. In future it will be okay if you have a foreign degree, and the recognition can either be done in Germany, or you could even get a residence permit without formal recognition.”

READ ALSO: 8 things to know about Germany’s new skilled worker immigration law 

Simpler visa routes for professional drivers 

Professional drivers are also among the workers being wooed by the coalition government in its immigration reforms.

At present, lorry drivers and logistics workers from non-EU countries are at the back of the line when it comes to securing jobs in Germany, as employers have to prove there are no Germans or EU nationals who could fill the role instead. 

This rule is set to be scrapped in November, along with requirements for foreign drivers to prove German language skills.

Drivers also will be able to get a work permit even if they don’t have the relevant EU or EEA driving licence and initial driving qualification, making visas much quicker and easier to obtain. 

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For members

GERMAN CITIZENSHIP

How much do you need to earn to qualify for citizenship in Germany?

Applicants for German citizenship need to be able to support themselves financially, but it's often unclear what that means in practice. Here's how to work out if your income is high enough for citizenship.

Published: 15 May 2024 15:29 CEST
How much do you need to earn to qualify for citizenship in Germany?

Out of the requirements for qualifying for a German passport, supporting yourself financially is one of the most important – and one of the most confusing.

Many foreigners assume that the authorities have a magic number in mind and will often worry about whether their income is above or below this threshold.

In reality, though, the law is much more flexible. In section 10 of the nationality law, it states that applicants must show that they “can support themselves and their dependent family members without claiming benefits under the Second or Twelfth Book of the Social Code.”

In other words, that your income is healthy enough to not rely on the state for things like long-term unemployment benefits.

According to Fabian Graske, an immigration lawyer at Migrando, around €1,500 gross per month for a single person is usually considered enough to live on. 

That said, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all approach to this quesiton. 

When it comes to working out if your income is high enough, you’ll need to take into account a number of factors that your case worker at the naturalisation office will also weigh up. 

That’s why it’s important to ask yourself a number of questions that go beyond just how much you earn: 

How high are your living costs? 

In Germany, there are huge regional differences in the cost of living, so what someone can afford to live on varies hugely from place to place.

For example, someone living in pricey Munich is likely to need much more money for rent or their mortgage than a resident of much more affordable places like Halle or Leipzig, so you should consider whether what you earn is enough to offer a basic standard of living in the city or town you live in. 

READ ALSO: Requirements, costs and permits – 6 essential articles for German citizenship

It is worth mentioning, though, that what you actually pay for rent and bills matters more than the averages. If you’re lucky enough to find an apartment with unusually low rent in Berlin, for instance, you can probably get away with earning less money as well. 

Are you single or do you have a family?

If you’re single and have no children, you’ll likely get a lot more lenience from the authorities when it comes to having a lower-than-average income.

A family sit at a lake.

A family sit at a lake in Bavaria. Image by Eva Mospanova from Pixabay

Of course, if you have dependents such as kids or a spouse who doesn’t work (or both), you’ll need to ensure not only that your own living costs are taken care of, but also that your family can survive on your income alone.

That naturally means you’ll be expected to earn a certain amount more for each dependent child or adult.

On the plus side, any income your spouse does earn will be counted alongside your own, so if you’re the one who is supported by their partner, the authorities will also take this into account. 

Is your job stable or unstable?

One key thing to think about when applying for citizenship is the security of your work contract. Someone who has a long-term contract with an employer and has passed their probationary period will be in a much better position than someone who is still on a three-month trial, for example.

This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t submit a citizenship application after just starting a new job, but be aware that the authorities may well wait to process your application until you’ve passed the initial probation and have been put onto a longer-term contract. 

A similar rule of thumb applies to people who are currently claiming Arbeitslosengeld I (ALG I), or unemployment insurance. Though this doesn’t disqualify you from citizenship, it may delay your application until you can find a stable job. 

READ ALSO: Can I still get German citizenship after claiming benefits?

Do you need to rely on welfare payments to get by?

A key aspect of German naturalisation law is working out whether you’re likely to be a financial burden on the state by relying too much on the welfare system.

The entrance to the Jobcenter in Düsseldorf,

The entrance to the Jobcenter in Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Oliver Berg

While everyone needs a helping hand from time to time, claiming benefits like long-term unemployment benefit (Bürgergeld) or housing benefit (Wohngeld) to top up your income sadly shuts you out of the naturalisation process and could also make it hard for you to qualify in the future. 

Luckily, this doesn’t apply to all types of state support – Kindergeld, ALG I and Bafög don’t count, for example – so seek advice from a lawyer or your local citizenship office if you’re unsure.

How old are you?

Though this is hard to fully quantify, age can sometimes play a role in assessments of your financial fitness in Germany.

A young person fresh out of university or vocational college may be seen as someone with high earning potential over the years, so in some cases the authorities may take a more relaxed approach to their current income.

In contrast, an older person coming to the end of their working life could be held to slightly stricter standards. 

This is also why it can be important to show that you have sufficient pension contributions or another form of security for the future, such as owning your own home or having lots of savings. 

READ ALSO: How can over 60s get German citizenship under the new nationality law?

What counts as ‘income’ under German law?

It’s important to note that income doesn’t just have to mean the salary you get at your job: income from rental properties, side hustles and freelance gigs can also be included, as well as things like alimony payments after divorce.

Once again, if you’re unsure, just ask. The citizenship offices are there to advise you and should give you clear instructions about what kind of documents count as proof of income in your application. 

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