Switching from § 24 to a work permit

Why and how to move from temporary protection to a regular permit without leaving Germany.

With § 24 you may already work. So why switch? Because a work permit does not depend on the war or on EU decisions, and because years with a skilled-worker permit or Blue Card count towards a settlement permit (see Staying long-term).

No visa procedure needed

Anyone who holds a residence permit can apply for another one in Germany (§ 39 No. 1 AufenthV). You do not have to leave and apply at an embassy. If you apply before your current permit expires, it is deemed to continue until the decision (§ 81 (4) AufenthG).

What you need

• The requirements of the new permit, exactly as for anyone else: usually a job offer, a recognised or comparable qualification and, for some permits, a minimum salary. See Skilled worker / Blue Card and Recognition.
• A valid passport. See Ukrainian rules if you cannot get one.
• Proof of your current job or job offer, for example the employment contract and the form "Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis".
• Fee for the new card: as a rule €100. Whether reductions apply in individual cases was not checked.

Weigh it carefully

• A work permit is tied to its purpose. If you lose the job, the LEA can shorten the permit. How much time you get to find a new job depends on the permit and the case.
• Whether you could return to § 24 after giving it up is not confirmed. Ask an advice centre before you withdraw anything.
• The Western Balkans rule (§ 26 (2) BeschV) applies only to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia, not to Ukraine.