Germany has 5+ distinct work permit routes for non-EU employees — and choosing the right one can save weeks of processing time and thousands of euros. This guide compares every option side by side, with processing times and requirements, so you can match the right permit to each hire.
All permit types at a glance
| Permit | Best for | Degree needed? | Min. salary | Time to PR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EU Blue Card | University-educated professionals | Yes* | €50,700 / €45,934 | 21–27 months |
| §18a Skilled Worker (Vocational) | Tradespeople, technicians | Vocational cert. | None | 4–5 years |
| §18b Skilled Worker (Academic) | Degree holders below Blue Card salary | Yes | None | 4–5 years |
| ICT Card | Intra-company transfers | Varies | None | N/A (temporary) |
| Chancenkarte | Job seekers (no offer yet) | Not always | None | Must switch first |
| §19c(2) Experience-based | Experienced workers, no degree | No | None | 4–5 years |
*IT professionals with 3+ years experience can get a Blue Card without a degree.
EU Blue Card
The EU Blue Card is the gold standard for hiring qualified non-EU talent. It offers the fastest path to permanent residence and the most rights (family reunification without language requirements, spouse work rights from day one).
Use when: Your hire has a university degree (or 3+ years IT experience) and the salary meets the €50,700 / €45,934 threshold. This should be your default choice for professional roles.
Skilled Worker Visa (§18a/18b)
The §18a (vocational) and §18b (academic) skilled worker visas cover cases where the Blue Card doesn't apply:
- §18a: For workers with recognised vocational training (Berufsausbildung) — electricians, nurses, mechatronics technicians, etc. No salary minimum.
- §18b: For degree holders whose salary falls below the Blue Card threshold. Same rights but slower path to permanent residence (4–5 years vs. 21 months).
- Key requirement: The qualification must be recognised in Germany (anabin database or ZAB certificate). Recognition can take 3–6 months.
- Federal Employment Agency (BA) approval: Required for §18a. The BA checks that hiring conditions are fair and no equally qualified German/EU candidate is available.
Use when: Your hire is a skilled tradesperson (§18a) or a degree holder whose salary doesn't reach the Blue Card threshold (§18b).
ICT Card
The Intra-Corporate Transfer (ICT) Card is for multinationals transferring employees from a non-EU office to their German entity:
- The employee must have worked for the company for 6+ months (3+ months for trainees)
- Valid for up to 3 years (1 year for trainees)
- The employee remains on their home country contract — no German employment contract needed
- Does not count toward permanent residence
Use when: You're transferring a manager, specialist, or trainee from your non-EU office for a temporary assignment.
Chancenkarte
The Chancenkarte isn't a work permit — it's a job-seeking permit. But it's relevant for employers because it creates a pool of pre-qualified candidates already in Germany who are ready to switch to a work visa.
Use when: You find a candidate who is already in Germany on a Chancenkarte. Hire them and transition to a Blue Card or §18a/18b.
Side-by-side comparison
| Blue Card | §18a | §18b | ICT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing time | 5–12 weeks | 8–16 weeks | 6–14 weeks | 4–10 weeks |
| Spouse work rights | Immediate | With permit | With permit | Limited |
| Spouse language req. | None | Waived (2026) | Waived (2026) | A1 |
| Job change allowed? | After 2 years freely | With approval | With approval | No (tied) |
| BA approval needed? | No | Yes | Sometimes | No |
Which permit fits your hire?
Software developer with CS degree, €55K salary
→ EU Blue Card (shortage occupation threshold met)
Senior developer, no degree, 6 years experience, €50K salary
→ EU Blue Card (IT experience path, §19c(2) as backup)
Electrician from Serbia with vocational certificate
→ Western Balkans Regulation (fastest) or §18a
Marketing manager with MBA, €42K salary
→ §18b (below Blue Card threshold, degree recognised)
Company transfers a project lead from US office for 2 years
→ ICT Card (intra-company transfer, no German contract)
Talented candidate, no offer yet, wants to search in Germany
→ Chancenkarte (6+ points, then switch to Blue Card/§18a when hired)
Processing times
Plan for 8–16 weeks total from application to start date for most permit types. The main bottlenecks:
- Embassy appointment wait: 2–8 weeks (varies dramatically by country)
- Visa processing: 1–4 weeks after interview
- Degree recognition (if needed): 4–8 weeks (start this first!)
- Ausländerbehörde in Germany: 2–8 weeks for the physical card
Step-by-step for employers
Identify the right permit
Match the candidate's profile to the permit type using the comparison table above.
Start degree/qualification recognition
If needed, initiate the ZAB or anabin check immediately. This is the #1 source of delays.
Prepare employer documents
Employment contract, company registration (Handelsregister), job description, and Stellenbeschreibung.
Candidate applies at embassy
Support them with document prep and appointment booking. Provide a company support letter.
Arrange arrival logistics
Temporary housing, Anmeldung, bank account, health insurance. The employee can start working on the D-visa.
Ausländerbehörde appointment
Book early. Apply for the residence permit (Blue Card, §18a, etc.) within the D-visa validity period.
Not sure which route to take?
Use our free Visa Eligibility Check to get a personalised recommendation based on your candidate's profile — nationality, degree, experience, and salary. Takes 2 minutes.
For HR teams
Want to see how relokate handles this?
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Book a call →About the author
Katharina Hilgers
Founder & Managing Director, relokate
Over a decade of experience in HR, People Operations, and global mobility. Founded relokate in 2020 after seeing firsthand how complex and fragmented the relocation process was for companies hiring internationally. Previously led international hiring at high-growth companies, managing relocations across 30+ nationalities. Today, Katharina combines strategic HR expertise with technology to make global hiring to Germany simple, compliant, and human.
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