Coming to Berlin as an engineer

Blue Card with a lower salary threshold, the protected title "Ingenieur" via the Baukammer Berlin, building permit eligibility and steps.

For engineers the EU Blue Card is the usual route. Engineering is one of the groups with a lower salary threshold. Important: in Berlin you may work as an engineer without recognition. Only the title "Ingenieur/Ingenieurin" is protected.

Residence permits that fit

• Lower threshold: it applies to ISCO-08 group 21 (science and engineering professionals) and group 132 (managers in production, construction, logistics and similar), and to anyone who graduated no more than 3 years ago (§ 18g (1) sentence 2).
• The amounts are 50% and 45.3% of the 2026 pension contribution ceiling (€101,400) and change every year.
• Age 45 or over (first permit under § 18a/§ 18b): salary at least 55% of the ceiling (2026 calculated €55,770) or adequate pension provision (§ 18 (2) no. 5). Not for the Blue Card.
• Details: Blue Card in Berlin (German), Opportunity Card (German).

Degree and professional title

1. Degree for the visa: anabin/ZAB

For the Blue Card and § 18b your degree must be recognised or comparable. Check it in anabin. If it is not there: statement of comparability from the ZAB.

2. The title "Ingenieur/Ingenieurin": Baukammer Berlin

• In Berlin the title is protected by the Engineers Act (Ingenieurgesetz, IngG). With a foreign degree you need permission from the Baukammer Berlin (Berlin Chamber of Construction Engineers, § 5 IngG).
• Without it you may apply for jobs and work in engineering, but you may not use the title, not even in compound terms (Baukammer Berlin).
• Conditions per the Berlin service portal: equivalent training (otherwise a test or adaptation course), residence or place of work in Berlin, good character, German B2 (proof can follow later). Fee €200, about 1–3 months once documents are complete (service.berlin.de).
• Documents include: CV, certificates with subjects, proof of work experience (if the profession is not regulated where you trained: at least 1 year in the last 10 years), certificate of good conduct, certified translations.
• Contact: Baukammer Berlin, Heerstraße 18/20, 14052 Berlin, phone 030 797443-00.

3. Building permit eligibility and chamber membership

• To submit building applications you must be bauvorlageberechtigt (§ 65 Berlin Building Code). Engineers need an entry in the Baukammer's list of persons entitled to submit building documents: degree in building construction or civil engineering and at least 2 years of practice in building design. Fee €100 (service.berlin.de).
• Compulsory membership of the Baukammer applies only to engineers in construction who work on their own responsibility and provide services for projects in Berlin or have their place of business in Berlin, in particular those entitled to submit building documents. Compulsory members of an engineers' chamber in another federal state are exempt. Fee €30, for consulting engineers (Beratende Ingenieure) €150. Employed engineers are usually not obliged; they can join voluntarily, free of charge (service.berlin.de).
• A Prüfingenieur (state-recognised structural checking engineer) is a separate role under the Building Technical Inspection Ordinance (BauPrüfV). Conditions and the recognising authority in Berlin were not checked word for word; check before relying on it.

4. Architects (in brief)

"Architekt" is also protected. The Architektenkammer Berlin (Alte Jakobstraße 149) is responsible. It checks, among other things, at least four years of study and at least 2 years of practice; for degrees from non-EU countries a ZAB statement first. See Chambers and regulated professions (German).

German

For the visa (Blue Card, § 18b) the law requires no German. For the title "Ingenieur" the Baukammer requires B2 according to the service portal. In planning and construction German is usually needed day to day (standards, authorities, sites). This is a general assessment, not a legal rule.

Steps

1. Check your degree in anabin, otherwise get a ZAB statement.
2. Job offer with a matching salary (at €45,934.20 the BA checks).
3. Visa at the German mission abroad; optional fast-track procedure (§ 81a) via the Business Immigration Service Berlin (fee €411).
4. Enter, register your address, apply online to the State Office for Immigration (LEA).
5. If needed: apply to the Baukammer for the title, later possibly for the list of persons entitled to submit building documents.

Staying and family

• Blue Card: settlement permit after 27 months (German A1) or 21 months (German B1) (§ 18c (2)).
• § 18a/§ 18b: after 3 years with 36 months of pension contributions and German B1; 2 years with a German qualification (§ 18c (1)).
• Family: Family reunification (German).

Watch out

• Using "Ingenieur" on business cards, e-mail signatures or LinkedIn without permission can breach the Engineers Act. English titles such as "Engineer": whether they are covered was not checked; check before relying on it.
• Building documents from someone without eligibility are not accepted.
• Minimum wage 2026: €13.90 (MiLoV5). Advice on problems with an employer: Faire Integration, BEMA.

Sources

• § 18g, § 18b, § 18c, § 18 AufenthG
• Baukammer Berlin: foreign degrees, Berlin service portal 350441, 330232, 330217
• anabin, ZAB, MiLoV5