Overview
A work visa and a residence permit are two stages of the same process. The national visa lets you enter Germany for work; after arrival you receive the residence title, such as the EU Blue Card, from the local foreigners authority.
The EU Blue Card is for people with a degree or a comparable qualification and a job offer above a salary threshold. Skilled worker permits cover recognised university degrees and recognised vocational training. The Opportunity Card is different: it is a job-seeker route and does not need a job offer.
A Schengen visa does not allow you to take up employment in Germany.
Work routes
| Route | Who it is for | Job offer or sponsor needed? |
|---|---|---|
| EU Blue Card | Academics and people with comparable qualifications who have a job offer | Yes. A concrete job offer of at least six months |
| Skilled worker with a university degree (Section 18b) | Holders of a German or recognised foreign degree | Yes. A job offer for qualified employment |
| Skilled worker with vocational training (Section 18a) | Holders of recognised vocational training | Yes. A job offer and Federal Employment Agency approval |
| EU Blue Card for IT specialists without a degree | IT professionals with at least three years of experience in the past seven | Yes. A job offer of at least six months |
| Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte) | Job seekers who are skilled workers or score at least six points | No job offer needed; it is for looking for work |
Other employment categories, such as deputations and intra-company transfers, are processed differently and take longer.
Eligibility
EU Blue Card
- A German degree, or a foreign degree comparable to a German one. Tertiary-level qualifications of at least three years can also qualify.
- A job offer in Germany for at least six months that matches your qualification.
- A gross annual salary of at least EUR 50,700 (2026).
- In shortage occupations, such as STEM professionals, doctors, IT managers, nurses and teachers, EUR 45,934.20 (2026) is enough, with Federal Employment Agency approval.
- New entrants who graduated less than three years ago can also qualify at EUR 45,934.20 (2026).
- For regulated professions, a licence to practise must be in place or in prospect.
EU Blue Card for IT specialists without a degree
- A job offer as an IT professional for at least six months.
- A gross annual salary of at least EUR 45,934.20 (2026).
- At least three years of IT experience in the past seven, at university level.
Skilled worker visas (Sections 18a and 18b)
- A German qualification or a recognised foreign one: a university degree for 18b, vocational training for 18a.
- A concrete job offer for qualified employment.
- Approval from the Federal Employment Agency for employment.
- For regulated professions, permission to practise from the recognition authority.
- If you are 45 or older, a minimum salary or proof of adequate pension provision.
Opportunity Card
- Recognition as a skilled worker, or at least six points in the points system.
- Proof that you can support yourself: generally at least EUR 1,091 a month.
- Applied for online through the Consular Services Portal.
Job offer and sponsorship
Germany has no employer-sponsor licence. You need a concrete job offer or contract for the Blue Card and skilled worker routes, and the employer provides the job details that the Federal Employment Agency assesses.
The exception is the Opportunity Card. It lets you enter without a job offer to look for work, and allows trial work or part-time work of up to 20 hours a week while you search.
Who does what
Work visa applications fail most often when it is unclear who is responsible for which step. This is how the duties are split.
What the employer does
- Provide a concrete job offer or contract, with salary and job description.
- Complete the declaration of employment used for Federal Employment Agency approval.
- Optionally start the fast-track skilled worker procedure in Germany.
What you do
- Get your foreign qualification recognised or confirmed as comparable.
- Apply for the visa through the Consular Services Portal and attend your appointment.
- Show health insurance and, for the Opportunity Card, proof of funds.
- Register your address and apply for the residence permit after arrival.
- Notify the foreigners authority if you change jobs in the first year on a Blue Card.
Documents
Common documents
- Valid passport
- Completed online application through the Consular Services Portal
- Biometric photographs
- Degree or training certificates, with proof of recognition or comparability
- Proof of health insurance
- Curriculum vitae
Route-specific documents
| Route or case | Additional documents |
|---|---|
| EU Blue Card and skilled worker visas | Job offer or employment contract showing salary and duration; Declaration of employment from the employer; Licence to practise, for regulated professions |
| Opportunity Card | Proof of funds, generally at least EUR 1,091 a month; Evidence for your points: qualifications, experience, language level and age |
| IT specialists without a degree | Proof of at least three years of IT experience in the past seven |
The Consular Services Portal asks a short questionnaire and then gives you a personalised list of documents to upload for your route.
For photo sizes and background rules, see our visa photo requirements tool.
How to apply
Check that your qualification is recognised in Germany or comparable to a German one.
Secure a job offer, unless you are applying for the Opportunity Card.
Apply online through the Federal Foreign Office’s Consular Services Portal and upload the documents on your personalised list.
Attend your appointment in India to submit biometrics and originals, and pay the EUR 75 visa fee.
Wait for the decision. Blue Card applications and those with Federal Employment Agency approval are decided directly by the German Missions.
Travel to Germany, register your address and apply to the local foreigners authority for your residence permit or Blue Card.
Fees
| Fee | Amount | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| National visa | EUR 75 | The visa application fee for employment visas, the EU Blue Card and the Opportunity Card |
| Residence permit in Germany | Not confirmed here | Charged by the local foreigners authority after arrival |
| Recognition of qualifications | Varies by authority | Charged by the German recognition body, where recognition is required |
The visa fee is paid in rupees at the rate set by the German Missions. We did not confirm the residence permit fee charged in Germany.
Processing time
| Stage or route | Official timeframe |
|---|---|
| EU Blue Card, and applications with Federal Employment Agency approval | About ten days; most Blue Card applications within 2 weeks |
| Other employment visas, such as deputations | About six to eight weeks |
| General guidance for national visas | Allow four to six weeks from a complete application |
Times are those given by the German Missions in India and run from the day complete documents are submitted. Applying through the Consular Services Portal leads to earlier appointments.
Validity and renewal
| Route | Validity | Renewal and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| EU Blue Card | Length of the employment contract plus six months, up to four years | Can be extended in Germany; settlement permit after 27 months, or 21 months with B1 German |
| Skilled worker residence permit | Set by the foreigners authority | Tied to qualified employment |
| Opportunity Card | Up to one year | For job search; trial work and up to 20 hours a week of part-time work allowed |
Family and job changes
Dependants
EU Blue Card holders can bring their family to Germany under the family reunification rules. The German Missions in India say that the two-week Blue Card processing time also applies to accompanying family members.
Changing employers
With an EU Blue Card you can change employers and start the new job on your valid card. If you change jobs within the first year, you must notify your local foreigners authority, which checks that the new job still meets the Blue Card conditions.
If it does not, you may be given another permit, such as a residence permit for qualified professionals.
Common mistakes
- Applying before your qualification is recognised or shown to be comparable.
- A salary in the contract that falls below the threshold for your route.
- A job that does not match your qualification.
- Trying to take up employment on a Schengen visa.
- Treating the Opportunity Card as a full work permit: it allows only trial work and part-time work.
- Not telling the foreigners authority about a job change in the first Blue Card year.
How we can help
My Visa Assistance provides visa information, document checklists and application support. For a work visa or permit, that means:
- An assessment call to identify which route fits your job offer and profile.
- A personalised document checklist for that route.
- Help completing the application forms and booking appointments.
- A review of your file before you submit it.
What we do not do: we are not a recruitment agency or a registered recruiting agent, we do not arrange jobs or employer sponsorship, and we cannot guarantee approval. Decisions are made only by the government authorities.
Send us an enquiry or call +91 85518 05523. If you are travelling as a visitor instead, see our Germany visa guide.
FAQs
At least EUR 50,700 gross a year. In shortage occupations, for new entrants who graduated less than three years ago and for IT specialists without a degree, the threshold is EUR 45,934.20.
The German Missions in India charge EUR 75 for a national visa, which covers employment visas, the EU Blue Card and the Opportunity Card.
The German Missions say Blue Card applications and those with Federal Employment Agency approval take about ten days, other employment visas about six to eight weeks, and that applicants should generally allow four to six weeks.
Yes, on the Opportunity Card. It is a job-seeker route for skilled workers or people who score at least six points, valid for up to one year, with proof of funds of generally at least EUR 1,091 a month.
Only in a limited way: trial work and part-time employment of up to 20 hours a week. For full-time employment you need to move to a work residence permit.
Yes. You need a job offer of at least six months as an IT professional, a salary of at least EUR 45,934.20 (2026) and at least three years of IT experience in the past seven.
Yes. You can start the new job on your valid card, but in the first year you must notify the foreigners authority of the change.
A settlement permit is possible after 27 months with A1 German, or after 21 months with B1 German.
Official sources
Last verified: . The facts on this page come from these official pages. Immigration rules, fees and timeframes change, so confirm them before you apply.
- Make it in Germany (Federal Government): EU Blue Card
- German Missions in India: employment
- German Missions in India: national visa
- German Missions in India: Opportunity Card
- Federal Foreign Office: Consular Services Portal
- Federal Foreign Office: Opportunity Card
- Federal Employment Agency: employment of foreign workers in Germany
What we could not verify
- The 2026 salary figure for skilled workers aged 45 and over was not confirmed, so the page states the rule without the amount.
- The Opportunity Card points table and the residence permit fee in Germany were not confirmed.
- Skilled worker and Opportunity Card details come from German mission pages read through search results; the Federal Government’s Make it in Germany site blocked further reading.