The major reasons to immigrate to Germany include employment, education, entrepreneurship, permanent residence, and family reunions. Though visas for each of these purposes could have specific requirements, the following are the general requirements for Germany immigration:
- You have to prove that you have the financial resources to live in Germany.
- You must have health insurance coverage that’s approved in Germany. It’s recommended that you have a German health insurance policy.
- Your proficiency in the German language must be of at least A1/A2 which is equivalent to basic knowledge. You could be at level B1/B2, which is the proficient level, or C1/C2, which is the advanced level.
- Hold a German visa if you are from a country that has no exemptions; E.g., third countries.
Immigrating for work
Germany is in need of highly-skilled foreign workers and so you can step in and immigrate as a skilled worker, following these steps:
- Find a job in Germany by getting accepted by a German employer
- File an application for the Germany Working (employment) Visa,
- Immigrate to Germany and get a working residence permit.
As long as your working residence permit allows you, it’s possible for you to work in Germany. You could either apply for an extension of the permit or apply for permanent residence if your employer is willing to continue the working relationship with you.
Immigrating for education
- Get a visa to study in Germany so that you can complete a university degree.
- There’s a limited time for which you can stay in Germany and seek employment in Germany. If you found a job within that period, you can continue your stay by obtaining a work visa.
Immigrating for entrepreneurship
- You must be able to invest at least €250,000 to be eligible to immigrate as an entrepreneur.
- You must prove that:
- You have the required funds to make an investment
- Your investment is going to benefit the economy of Germany
- Your investment is in demand in Germany
- After 3 years of holding a residence permit, you can apply for extensions and maintain your entrepreneur status in Germany.
Immigration for permanent residence
A residence permit issued under this category could be temporary or permanent. Here are the visa options:
- Standard visa permit, which is granted to all visa types.
- EU Blue Card for Germany is issued to non-EU/EEA nationals with high qualifications and who are willing to work in Germany. EU Blue Card holders can stay in Germany for up to 4 years. They can opt to convert their residence permit to a permanent settlement permit. In order to qualify for the EU Blue Card, the following criteria have to be met:
- You will need a job offer in Germany.
The minimum annual salary for the job must be €56,800.