Highly qualified foreign nationals who wish to pursue employment in Germany that corresponds to their qualifications can obtain an EU Blue Card.
The EU Blue Card is initially only issued for a maximum of four years. If your employment contract is for less than four years, you will receive the EU Blue Card for the duration of your employment contract plus three months.
If you have held an EU Blue Card for less than twelve months, you must inform the immigration authority of your change of employment. The twelve-month period begins when you take up employment. During this twelve-month period, periods of employment that have already been acquired outside the period of validity of the EU Blue Card can be taken into account. The Immigration Office can also reject the change of job retrospectively if the requirements for the issue of the EU Blue Card are not met.
If you have held an EU Blue Card for longer than twelve months, you do not need permission from the immigration authority to change jobs. You also do not need to inform the immigration authority. The requirements for obtaining an EU Blue Card must be met each time you change jobs. Taking up self-employment is still not permitted.
Aliens and citizenship law
