Apply for Residence Permit for Skilled Workers with Academic Qualifications
You have a university degree and a job offer? The authority must grant you a residence permit as a skilled worker.
At a glance
How do you get a residence permit as a skilled worker with academic qualifications?
You have a university degree and want to work in Germany? Then you have a statutory right to a residence permit as a skilled worker. The authority must grant it to you.
The residence permit is valid for up to four years. If your employment contract is shorter or the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is limited to a shorter period, the residence permit will also be granted and extended for a correspondingly shorter period.
With this permit, you may pursue any qualified employment. The employment relationship must exist in Germany and your employer must have a place of business in Germany.
Important: If you have already turned 45, you generally need adequate retirement provision. Your salary must then be at least 55 percent of the annual assessment ceiling in the general pension insurance. For the year 2026, this means at least 4,647.50 euros gross per month. Your salary may be lower if you have ensured adequate retirement provision from other sources.
Requirements
Who qualifies?
- You are a skilled worker with a German, recognised foreign or comparable foreign university degree and have a specific job offer or employment contract for qualified employment in Germany
Additional requirements
- You need a valid residence title or a national D-visa, or you are entitled to apply after visa-free entry due to your nationality -- extension is possible at the earliest 8 weeks before expiry
- The Federal Employment Agency must generally give its approval
- The equivalence of your university degree must be proven -- check the Anabin database of the ZAB, or apply for an individual fee-based assessment from the ZAB
- If a professional practice licence is required for your profession (e.g. doctors, engineers), it must be available or confirmed before the residence permit is granted
- You need sufficient health insurance in Germany (statutory or comparable private; foreign insurance is generally not sufficient)
- You need your main residence in Berlin -- a secondary residence is not sufficient
- There must be no indications of a threat to public safety or order -- even fines can prevent the granting
How to apply
Submit the online application "Fixed-term residence title for employment" -- have all documents ready preferably in PDF format (accepted: PDF, JPG, JPEG, PNG; maximum 100 MB total, 7 MB per file)
Pay the processing fee by credit card (Visa, Mastercard) or PayPal before submitting the application
Save and print the confirmation of your application -- this keeps your current residence title valid beyond its previous expiry date (does not apply with a Schengen visa or an already expired residence title)
Wait for the review of your application by the LEA -- if needed, it will request additional documents
Go personally to the appointment and bring all documents in the original
Done! The authority must grant you the residence permit as a skilled worker if you meet the requirements.
First issuance
- Extension up to three months96,00 EUR
- Extension for more than three months93,00 EUR
- Turkish nationals up to age 24 (issuance and extension)22,80 EUR
- Turkish nationals from age 24 (issuance and extension)37,00 EUR
Good to know
Your residence permit under Section 18b contains an important ancillary provision. You may also work in self-employment alongside your employment. This is stated directly in your residence title.
Die Aufenthaltserlaubnis nach den §§ 18a, 18b, 19c sind in den Fällen, in denen sie zustimmungsfrei erteilt werden mit der Nebenbestimmung: „Beschäftigung nicht erlaubt mit Ausnahme der Tätigkeit als …….. Selbstständige Tätigkeit erlaubt." zu versehen.
VAB A.18/A.18b, S. 188-195
If you meet the requirements of Section 9 of the Employment Regulation, you will receive the ancillary provision "employment permitted" upon extension. The authority MUST do this without consulting the Federal Employment Agency. This allows you to take any job.
Bei Vorliegen der Voraussetzungen des § 9 BeschV ist die AE - ohne vorangegangene Anfrage bei der BA - mit der Nebenbestimmung "Erwerbstätigkeit erlaubt" zu verlängern
VAB A.18/A.18b, S. 188-195
Is the Federal Employment Agency's approval shorter than your employment contract? Then your title is valid three months longer than the approval. This gives you time to apply for the extension or find a new position.
Wenn die Zustimmung der BA für einen kürzeren Zeitraum gilt als die Dauer des Arbeitsvertrages, wird der Titel für die Dauer der Zustimmung der BA zuzüglich eines Zeitraumes von drei Monaten erteilt oder verlängert erteilt.
VAB A.18/A.18b, S. 188-195
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Apply for Residence Permit for Skilled Workers with Academic Qualifications
If your application is approved, you will receive an appointment. A residence permit as a sticker can be issued on site at the appointment. If issued as an electronic residence title (eAT), it takes 4 to 6 weeks until it can be collected.