Route: skilled worker and EU Blue Card

Blue Card, skilled-worker permits, intra-company transfers, salary thresholds 2026 and the fast-track procedure.

This route needs a job offer from a German employer and a qualification Germany accepts. Which permit fits depends on what you have, not on what you want.

EU Blue Card (§ 18g AufenthG)

• Regular threshold 2026: €50,700 gross a year.
• Lower threshold: €45,934.20 for shortage occupations (for example STEM, doctors, nurses, teachers) and for career starters. Here the Federal Employment Agency must approve.
• IT specialists without a degree but with at least 3 years of comparable experience within the last 7 years can also get a Blue Card, at the lower threshold of €45,934.20 (Federal Employment Agency, newsletter 03/2026). The €45,630 in the Embassy Beijing leaflet is the threshold of the experience route below, not of the Blue Card.
• Your degree must be German, recognised, or comparable to a German degree: an anabin printout (degree "entspricht"/"gleichwertig", university "H+") or a ZAB Statement of Comparability, see Recognition. For a Chinese degree the Embassy wants both the graduation certificate (毕业证书) and the degree certificate (学位证书).
• Settlement permit (§ 18c (2)) after 27 months with German at A1, or 21 months with German at B1, plus pension contributions.

Other permits

• § 18a (vocational qualification) and § 18b (degree): recognition in Germany, a job offer and, as a rule, approval of the Federal Employment Agency.
• Experience route (§ 19c (2) with § 6 BeschV) for non-regulated jobs: a qualification recognised in China (at least 2 years of training, or a degree), at least 2 years of experience in the last 5 years, salary at least €45,630 (not needed with a collective agreement).
• Intra-company transfer (ICT) and staff exchange: common for Chinese companies with German branches. You need a local Chinese employment contract that runs beyond the posting, plus proof of qualification.
• Qualification measure (§ 16d) and regulated professions (doctors, nurses, teachers): see Recognition and Other routes.
• Age 45 or over for a first permit (not Blue Card): salary of at least €55,770 in 2026, or proof of adequate pension provision.

Steps

1. Check your degree in anabin; if needed, apply to the ZAB: Recognition.
2. Find a job through the official portals: the Federal Employment Agency job board and Make it in Germany.
3. Apostille and translations: Documents from China.
4. Visa through digital.diplo.de: Visa application. Processing about 4 weeks after the approvals arrive.
5. Residence permit at LEA Berlin: After arrival in Berlin.

Fast-track procedure (§ 81a)

Only the employer can start it, at LEA Berlin (Business Immigration Service), with your power of attorney. Fee €411 plus the €75 visa fee. The employer can also ask the Federal Employment Agency for pre-approval. Target times in guidance are not deadlines set in the statute.