A binding commitment also counts as a job offer

You do not necessarily need a finished employment contract. A written and binding commitment from your new employer is also sufficient. It must confirm that only the granting of the title is missing.

The employer's headquarters can also be abroad

Your employer's headquarters may also be abroad. What matters is that there is a place of business in Germany. That is where you must actually work.

You can request an information sheet for company transfers

In the case of a company transfer or change of legal form, you can request a certificate. Your employer may also do this. The authority will then issue an information sheet.

Change Employer on Employment Residence Permit

You want to change your employer? Check whether you need to amend your residence title and submit the application online.

At a glance

How do you amend your residence title when changing employer?

You hold a residence permit for employment or an EU Blue Card? You want to change your company or job? But your work permit is still restricted to a specific company? Then you can submit an online application to have your residence title amended.

Important: You may not need an amendment at all. Check these cases first:

Case A: You have been in employment subject to social insurance contributions for at least two years. Or you have been in Germany continuously with permitted, tolerated, or Aufenthaltsgestattung status for at least three years. Then you already have unrestricted access to the labour market. No amendment is needed. Exception: The Western Balkans regulation for nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia. They must always apply for the amendment.

Case B: You hold an EU Blue Card and have been in employment subject to social insurance contributions for at least one year. Then you also have unrestricted access to the labour market.

Case C: Only the company name or job title has changed, but you are working for the same employer? Then no amendment is needed.

Requirements

Who qualifies?

You hold an EU Blue Card or a residence permit for employment under Section 16a(1), 18a, 18b, 18d, 18f, 19c, or 38a AufenthG. Your work permit is restricted to a specific company and you want to move to another company.

Additional requirements

Your residence title must still be valid for at least 8 weeks. If it is valid for less, please submit an application for a new issuance instead.
You need your primary residence in Berlin. A secondary residence is not sufficient.
You need a current email address. The State Office for Immigration will contact you through it. Check your spam folder regularly.

How to apply

First check whether you actually need an amendment. If you have at least two years of employment subject to social insurance contributions or an EU Blue Card with at least one year of employment, you already have unrestricted labour market access.

Have the completed form "Declaration on the employment relationship" and the new employment contract ready, preferably in PDF format. Accepted file formats: PDF, JPG, JPEG, and PNG. Maximum 50 MB total, maximum 5 MB per file.

Submit the online application "Residence title for employment — change of employer" and upload the documents.

Wait for the review by the State Office for Immigration. Depending on the type of employment, it must obtain the approval of the Federal Employment Agency.

Done! If your application is approved, you will either receive an appointment for an in-person visit or a letter.

Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis

Good to know

Is your company being acquired by another company or changing its legal form? Then you do not need to have your residence title changed. The restriction to your employer remains automatically valid.

entfällt nach Satz 5 jede Notwendigkeit zur Änderung der Nebenbestimmung bzw. Beschränkung nach § 34 BeschV, wenn sich der Arbeitgeber auf Grund eines Betriebsübergangs nach § 613a des Bürgerlichen Gesetzbuches ändert oder auf Grund eines Formwechsels eine andere Rechtsform erhält

VAB A.4a/A.18, S. 58-193

Your residence title may contain restrictions. These may concern the type of your work or the scope. Check your ancillary provisions before changing employers.

Eine Beschränkung der Beschäftigung kann sich auf die Art und dem Umfang der Beschäftigung aber auch auf das Zustimmungserfordernis der BA beziehen.

VAB A.4a/A.18, S. 58-193

For some residence titles, the Federal Employment Agency must approve the change. This only applies if your activity is not exempt from approval. The authority checks this during the procedure.

Handelt es sich nicht um eine zustimmungsfreie Tätigkeit, ist zunächst zu prüfen, ob es sich um eine zustimmungsfähige Tätigkeit handelt.

VAB A.4a/A.18, S. 58-193

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