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What's happened? The revised Skilled Immigration Act (FEG) , which the Bundestag adopted in the summer of 2023, aims to rapidly reduce barriers to immigration of skilled workers from countries outside the EU. It will be implemented in three stages. The first changes took effect on November 18, 2023.
Reduced salary threshold. Salary thresholds for obtaining an EU Blue Card in regular and bottleneck professions (with a shortage of skilled workers) will be significantly reduced. In the future, a minimum salary of 45.3% of the annual contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance (in 2023: €39,683) will apply to specialized professions and new entrants to the labor market. For all other professions this figure will be 50% (in 2023: approximately €43,800).
New participants in the labor market. The opportunity to obtain an EU Blue Card will be open to a wider group of people. For example, foreigners who have graduated from university within the last three years can receive an EU Blue Card if their work in Germany earns them a minimum salary of 45.3% of the annual pension insurance cap (in 2023: €39,683). This applies to both bottleneck professions and ordinary specialties.
IT specialists. IT professionals will be able to obtain an EU Blue Card if they do not have a university degree, but they will be able to prove that they have at least three years of comparable professional experience. In this case, the lower salary threshold for bottleneck professions will apply (45.3% of the annual assessment ceiling; in 2023: €39,682.80).
Expanding the list of bottleneck professions. The list of bottleneck professions for the EU Blue Card will be significantly expanded. In addition to the existing narrow professions (mathematics, information technology, science, engineering and medicine), skilled workers in many other professions will be able to obtain an EU Blue Card if they meet other requirements. You can find the detailed list of bottleneck occupations here.
Short-term and long-term mobility. Holders of an EU Blue Card issued by another EU Member State will be able to travel to Germany and stay for up to 90 days for the purpose of conducting business directly related to their employment. Neither a visa nor a work permit from the Federal Employment Agency (BA) is required for such short stays.
After a minimum stay of 12 months with an EU Blue Card in another EU country, long-term residence in Germany is possible without a visa. After entering Germany, the specialist must apply to the foreigners authority for a German EU Blue Card.
Simplified family reunification for EU Blue Card holders. EU Blue Card holders who have already lived in another EU Member State with their family will be entitled to privileged family reunification. If these family members require a visa due to their nationality, they will be entitled to enter and reside in Germany as family members of an EU Blue Card holder with the residence permit issued in the previous Member State without having to undergo a visa procedure beforehand.
When a residence permit is issued in Germany, the requirements of sufficient living space and the requirement to secure one’s livelihood will no longer apply.
Source: The German government official website
Photo by Alana Harris on Unsplash
