Immigration to Germany
There are several legal options when it comes to immigration to Germany. In this article we will review the main types and requirements for immigration. Read the article till the end to select your suitable way of immigrating to Germany.
What are the main points you need to know about immigration to Germany?
Application for a permanent residency can usually be successful for the candidates only after they have had a temporary permit for several years. Holders of the EU Blue Card can also expect to be issued a permanent residence title.
The main condition for getting the German citizenship is permanently staying in Germany for 8 years. There are also some exceptions that enable the candidate to apply for the German citizenship after 5 years.
Main types of immigration to Germany:
German EU Blue Card
If you are eligible for an EU Blue Card, the procedure is a little simpler.
The main requirements for applying for a Blue Card are:
Having a German degree or a foreign degree that is recognized in Germany or is comparable to a German degree.
Having an employment contract or a binding job offer.
And, as of 2026, having a minimum gross salary of 50,7800 euro per year (or 45,934 euro per year for understaffed professions).
There is no need for the employer to prove that the position couldn’t be filled by an EU national. It seems that the procedure of getting a Blue Card is simple. However in practice it turns out that it’s rather hard to find an employer who would hire you. One more significant disadvantage is that if you lose your job, you are given only a short amount of time to find a new one.
See all pros and cons of the EU Blue Card and how to get it here.
Our company, Nexus-Europe GmbH, helps foreign specialists to resolve all issues related to applying for the German Blue Card. You just need to contact us to learn how to get a Blue Card in Germany and receive an individual solution.
Residence Permit for Academically Educated Skilled Workers
For foreign professionals with academic degrees who do not meet the salary requirements for an EU Blue Card immigration to Germany may still be possible under Section 18b of the Residence Act as academically educated skilled workers. This permit is typically valid for four years.
Applicants must hold a recognized higher education qualification: either a German degree, a foreign degree officially accepted in Germany, or a foreign degree considered equivalent to a German one. The recognition process follows the same rules as for the Blue Card.
A concrete job offer or employment contract for a qualified position is also mandatory. Under recent changes to the Skilled Workers Immigration Act, your degree no longer has to be directly related to the job you are offered. This provides greater flexibility for academic professionals seeking work in Germany.
Find out more detailed information about this type of residence permit here.
Residence Permit for CEOs and Other Executive Personnel
Immigration to Germany for foreign nationals taking on senior leadership roles in German companies may be possible with the residence permit under Section 19c(1) of the Residence Act. This permit is intended for executive personnel with significant responsibility.
German law defines executive personnel based on guidelines from the Works Constitution Act. There are two main ways to qualify: having hiring and firing authority and having strategic influence in the company.
For many foreign professionals, a practical route to this permit is becoming a managing director (Geschäftsführer) of a German GmbH or UG. However, to apply under Section 19c(1), you must not be self-employed. This means you must hold less than 50% of the company's shares while serving as managing director.
Read detailed information about this residence permit here.
German Intra-Corporate Transfer Card (ICT Card)
The German ICT Card is a temporary residence permit for employees of non‑EU companies. It allows them to be transferred to a branch of the same company within the EU for a limited time period. The card is intended for three types of employees: managers (leaders), specialists (experts with specific knowledge), and trainees (young professionals in development programs). While working temporarily in Germany, cardholders remain employed by their original company outside the EU.
Find out the requirements for this kind of residence permit here.
There is also an option that allows you not to depend on employers at all.
Immigration to Germany for the Self-Employed
Previously there was a specific requirement that foreigners had to meet coming to Germany to do business: namely they had to ensure an investment volume of 250,000 euro as well as create at least 5 jobs. Now this requirement no longer exists, making the immigration to Germany for business purposes much more accessible than before.
A residence permit for the purpose of business can be issued to a self-employed person intending to immigrate to Germany if their business meets certain criteria:
It has relevance in terms of commercial or regional interest.
It is expected to have a positive effect on the economy.
The financing of the intended business is ensured through own assets or a credit commitment by a bank.
During the evaluation especially the fulfilment of the following conditions is closely checked: sustainability of the presented business idea, previous business experience of the person, amount of the capital investment, effect on the employment and educational situation as well as contribution to the country in terms of innovation and research. For immigration of the self-employed over 45 years old to Germany there is also a requirement to provide a proper pension scheme to be checked by the officials.
The residence permit is issued for three years at the longest. After that period the self-employed person can apply for a settlement permit which can be issued if the following requirements are fulfilled: the intended business activity has been successful and the foreigner can provide for their own living expenses as well as for their dependents through the revenues received from the business.
Book your personalized Business Immigration Audit: Book Audit
Fatal mistakes while planning the immigration to Germany as entrepreneur
The preparation of the documents for residency as a self-employed is a rather important and difficult procedure for those who are not familiar with the immigration law. We explained the main issues of getting a residence permit as a self-employed in this video. Here we mentioned two of them. It’s very often that businessmen setting up a company in Germany for subsequent immigration get a rejection due to an incorrect or unconvincing business plan or other supporting documents. The consequences are even more dramatic when the entrepreneur has already registered the company, not having taken the following application for residence into account.
Important:
Owning a company in Germany does not grant the owner a residency. Apart from being a shareholder of a company, for immigration to Germany one needs to meet certain requirements according to section 21 of the Residence Law (AufentG).
The business plan for getting a residence title and the business plan for attracting investments are two different things.
For instance, Nexus prepares the documents as per the 5-step Nexus Smart Immigrate technology. It was developed specifically for entrepreneurs wishing to immigrate to Germany through business. The preparation of the documents is carried out by expert lawyers and economists. The whole documents package is also reviewed by our special counsel who has a close knowledge of the criteria that are most important to the decision-making government officials. That is why the risk of refusal is minimized.
Residence Permit for Freelancers in Germany (Freelance Visa)
Foreign nationals wishing to work independently in Germany as freelancers must obtain a special residence permit, commonly known as the German freelance visa (Freiberufler Visum).
Before applying, you first need to confirm that your profession actually falls under the freelance category, as only certain occupations qualify.
The key requirements for the freelance visa include:
- Your profession must be recognized as a freelance activity under German law.
- Your work should have a positive economic or cultural impact, or there must be regional demand for your services.
- You generally need to provide at least two letters of intent from potential clients in Germany.
- All required paperwork must be prepared correctly and submitted with your application.
More details about immigration to Germany as a freelancer can be found here.
Immigration to Germany for Family Reunions
Family members of those living in Germany are allowed to immigrate to Germany to reunite with their family. In general, all spouses and children under 16 can apply for the residence permit to join their family in Germany.
There are 2 general cases of immigration of families to Germany for the purpose of reunification:
Family members joining a German citizen who lives and has mostly lived in Germany.
Family members joining a foreigner who lives in Germany and has a valid residence permit.
In both cases, the family member to be joined in Germany (the sponsor) will have to provide proof that they have necessary resources to cover the living expenses of their family, an appropriate place for the family to live and a valid health insurance.
As a rule, to get the residency for family purposes the spouses will need to have a certain level of knowledge of the German language. It is considered that the settlement process will be easier with at least basic language skills.
In some cases it is not required to provide proof of the language knowledge when immigrating to Germany, for example:
Children under 16 do not have to speak German to be eligible for immigration for family purposes.
The family member to be joined in Germany is considered a highly-qualified person, a researcher or a self-employed person and was already married before moving to Germany.
The family member to be joined is a national of the United States of America, Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, the Republic of Korea or New Zealand.
One of the spouses is a national of an EU/EEA country (apart from Germany).
If there are proven reasons why it is not possible for the person to learn German.
Residence permit for family reunification can be refused in case the sponsor cannot provide the full package of necessary documents and in particular is not able to prove their financial sufficiency which is essential for immigration to Germany. Another reason for rejection of family reunion is forced marriage or marriage of convenience.
Other ways of immigrating to Germany do exist as well. In this article we introduced the most common and popular ones of them. Only in the course of the last year more than 500,000 obtained residency in Germany. Immigration to Germany is real. If you plan to immigrate to this country through business, we will make the whole process maximally comfortable for you.
This document (and any information accessed through links in this document) is intended for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional advice. Each situation is unique and professional advice should always be obtained before taking or refraining from any action.