There are relaxed rules for the recruitment of IT professionals from third countries, even if they do not have formal recognition of their professional qualifications or an equivalent university degree in IT. Find out what options are available to you here:
- IT professionals with at least two years’ relevant work experience (gained in the last five years) may obtain approval for employment without proof of a vocational qualification or university degree if they earn a certain minimum salary or are employed under a collective agreement (Section 6 of the Ordinance on the Employment of Foreigners [BeschV]).
- IT specialists and managers can also obtain an EU Blue Card under Section 18g (2) of the Residence Act (AufenthG) on the basis of their professional experience, even if they do not have a formal academic qualification. Certain salary thresholds also apply in this case.
To find out more about the different types of residence titles for IT professionals, please see the “Visa options for IT professionals” section under “For skilled workers”.
