Work visa

Person at the Airport and a plane in the background

Would you like to work in Rhineland-Palatinate? Find out which opportunities you have depending on your qualifications and which requirements have to be met in each case. Not sure if you need a visa? Then check the section "Do I need a visa?".

The EU Blue Card

The EU Blue Card (Section 18g of the Residence Act [AufenthG]) is a residence title for academically educated professionals from third countries or people with a comparable level of qualification. In order to receive an EU Blue Card, you must meet the following requirements:

You have proof of a completed university education. If you have not obtained your diploma from a Germany university, your university degree must be comparable to a German university degree. If you are not in possession of a classic university degree, you must provide proof of a tertiary education qualification that took at least three years to obtain. Your qualification must at least correspond to level 6 of the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED 2011) or level 6 of the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). In the “Recognition” section, you will find information on the equivalence and recognition of foreign qualifications.
You have a concrete job offer of a company in Germany. The following conditions apply:
- An employment contract with a minimum duration of six months.
- The job position must correspond to your qualification (university degree). If you would like to work in a regulated occupation, you must also have a licence to practice.
- An annual gross salary of at least EUR 45,300 (in 2024).
For occupations in bottleneck professions, it is possible to receive the EU Blue Card with a lower gross salary. In 2024, the minimum annual gross salary is EUR 41,041.80. This applies, as long as the Federal Employment Agency (BA) approved of your occupation. A detailed overview of bottleneck professions for the EU Blue Card can be found here.
On certain conditions, an EU Blue Card can also be issued to IT specialists without formal qualifications. More detailed information can be found on the Federal Government’s “Make it in Germany” portal.

An EU Blue Card is initially issued for a limited time period; the minimum being the duration of your employment contract plus an additional 3 months, the maximum being four years. Under certain conditions, a settlement permit can be issued to the EU Blue Card holder after 27 months. You can find more detailed information on the Federal Government’s “Make it in Germany” portal.

Video: Blue Card EU

Visa for qualified professionals

Have you learned a profession in your home country? Are you an electrician or a nursing professional? Or do you have a university degree, but you do not meet the abovementioned requirements for the EU Blue Card? In these cases, you may apply for a visa or residence permit to practice a qualified profession and to work as a skilled professional in Rhineland-Palatine. To do so, you must meet the following requirements:

You have an academic or vocational qualification that is either recognized in Germany or comparable to a German university degree.
You have a concrete job offer for qualified employment in Germany. The occupation does not have to be related to your recognized qualification in regard to the professional field.
If you wish to work in a regulated profession, in a health profession, for example, you require a licence to practice.
If you are over the age of 45, you must provide proof of either a minimum annual gross salary of EUR 49,830 (in 2024) when taking up employment in Germany for the first time or an adequate retirement pension plan.

The visa or residence permit to practice a qualified profession is issued for a maximum of three years. The time limitation is set according to the duration of your employment contract plus an additional three months. Find more detailed information on the Federal Government’s “Make it in Germany” portal.

Other types of visas

Professionally experienced workers

Have you already acquired professional experience in a non-regulated profession? If yes, you can obtain a visa for professionally experienced workers. The advantage: you do not need a formal recognition of your qualification in Germany. On “Make it in Germany”, you can find out about the requirements you have to meet for this type of visa.

Jobseeker

If you have completed a course of study or vocational training, it is possible to enter Germany on a jobseeker’s visa in order to look for suitable employment. On "Make it in Germany", you can find out more about the jobseeker’s visa.

IT professionals

Are you an IT professional and would like to work in Rhineland-Palatinate? Depending on whether you have a formal degree, a job offer or professional experience, you have different options to receive a work visa. Here, you can get an overview of the visa options for IT professionals.

Recognition partnership

Within a recognition partnership, you can complete the recognition of your professional qualifications after entering Germany. You can already start working in your profession; however, you will need a licence to practice for regulated professions. Find out more about the visa for employment within a recognition partnership.

Professional drivers

Professional drivers of trucks or buses do not need formal training to work in their profession in Germany. It is important to have a driving license and basic qualification for goods and passenger transport in accordance with the applicable EU or EEA standard. If you come from a third country, you also need a visa or residence permit in order to be able to work as a professional driver in Germany. Find more information about working in Germany as a professional driver on "Make it in Germany".

Assistants in nursing

Have you completed vocational training as an assistant in nursing or have you been recognised as such? If yes, you can work in the German health and care sector. On “Make it in Germany”, you can find out about how to apply for a residence permit for the employment as an assistant in nursing.

Completing vocational training

Would you like to complete vocational training in Rhineland-Palatinate? Apply for a visa for this purpose! Learn more about the visa for vocational training on " Make it in Germany”.

Studying in Rhineland-Palatinate

Are you interested in studying in Rhineland-Palatinate? If you meet the requirements for studying, you may apply for a study visa. Read more about the visa for studying on the “Make it in Germany“ website.