Starting from November 18, 2023, the initial changes to the "Amended Immigration Law", passed by the German Parliament last summer to attract skilled workers from non-EU countries, have come into effect.
The new regulations will be implemented in three phases, beginning on November 18, 2023; some further amendments will take effect on March 1, 2024, and finally on June 1, 2024.
This is part of a comprehensive reform plan for immigration policy to address the severe labor shortage weighing on Europe's largest economy.
As German employers face a shortage of hundreds of thousands of skilled workers each year, particularly in fields such as information technology (IT), healthcare, construction, and logistics, the revised immigration law will provide more job opportunities and greater convenience compared to previous regulations to attract skilled labor while improving Germany's economic situation.
According to the newly effective regulations, the new immigration policy will be based on a points system with five criteria: Professional competence, German language proficiency, work experience, connections to Germany, and age.
The points system will prioritize individuals in the following order: 4 points for those with professional qualifications in a specific field; 3 points for those who can speak German or English; and 2 additional points for those under 35 years old.
If your total score exceeds 6 points, you will be granted an "EU Blue Card" (temporary residence permit) without having to meet all five criteria.
The biggest advantage is that workers with educational qualifications or vocational certificates can enter Germany with an "EU Blue Card" without German language requirements. Notably, in the IT sector, skilled workers without a university degree can still receive an "EU Blue Card" if they can prove at least 3 years of relevant professional experience. Nurses with less than 3 years of experience are also allowed access to the German labor market.
The current salary threshold to qualify for an "EU Blue Card" in Germany is 56,400 Euros per year, for sectors facing severe shortages, such as scientific research, healthcare, and IT.
(56,400 Euros is approximately equal to 61,024.08 US Dollars based on the exchange rate on July 5, 2024)
Previously, one could only apply for a temporary residence permit in Germany to work with a relevant vocational certificate. However, under the new law, anyone with a vocational certificate can seek employment in Germany, even if they choose to study a different profession unrelated to their initial certificate.
With Germany's new immigration law, the country's Ministry of Interior estimates it can attract at least 60,000 skilled workers from non-EU countries annually.
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