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Summary: if you have a vocational qualification (vocational training) or a university degree and an employer in Germany is hiring you, you can enter with a “skilled worker visa” (Fachkräftevisum). The central requirement is usually the recognition of your qualification in Germany and a suitable job offer. Under the new rules, people with experience and a qualification recognised in their own country can in some circumstances apply even without full recognition.
Three main routes
1. Skilled worker with vocational training (Section 18a)
For people with a vocational qualification (such as technician, nurse, electrician). The qualification must be recognised in Germany and the offered job must match your qualification.
2. Skilled worker with a university degree (Section 18b)
For holders of a university degree. If the salary reaches the Blue Card threshold, the Blue Card usually has more advantages; see the Blue Card guide.
3. The work-experience route (Section 19c, paragraph 2)
People with at least two years of work experience and a vocational or university qualification that is officially recognised in the issuing country can enter without full recognition in Germany, provided the offered salary is not below a threshold set each year based on the pension insurance ceiling, or the company is covered by a collective agreement (Tarifbindung). The threshold changes every year; read the current amount on the official portal.
Recognition of qualifications (Anerkennung)
For regulated occupations (such as doctor, nurse, engineer in some states) recognition is mandatory. For non-regulated occupations too, an evaluation of the qualification through ZAB and the anabin database is usually needed. The process is long, and Iranian documents usually have to be officially translated; for details see the Anerkennung guide and official translation. If full recognition is a problem, the “Anerkennungspartnerschaft” allows you to enter with an employment contract and complete recognition afterwards.
Step by step
- Check your qualification and the market: see where your qualification stands in Germany and which jobs are in demand (list of shortage occupations).
- Language: for most jobs German at B1 or B2 is required; IT and some jobs are possible with English too.
- Job search and offer: write a German CV and apply on job platforms and directly to companies. Guide to finding a job.
- Recognition of qualification: start the application as early as possible.
- Visa: either through the embassy (according to the waiting list) or with the accelerated procedure, which the employer starts beforehand at the Foreigners’ Authority.
- Entry, address registration and residence card.
The accelerated skilled worker procedure (Section 81a)
The German employer can start the “accelerated procedure” on your behalf at the Foreigners’ Authority. The employer usually pays the fee (about €411 under current rules), and the legal aim is to issue a preliminary approval in about three weeks. With this approval the embassy gives priority for the visa. Under the current situation at the Tehran embassy, applicants with a prior approval registered from 15 July 2026 book appointments through TLScontact.
Pay and working conditions
Pay must correspond to the usual conditions for that job in Germany. For the work-experience route and the Blue Card there are minimum thresholds. The contract must be for at least six months and genuine.
Residence, family and permanent residence
The visa is usually valid for the first year and after entry is converted into a residence card. Spouse and children can come with you or later via family reunification; the spouse usually has the right to work. Permanent residence is usually possible after four years depending on the type of residence; permanent residence guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference from the Blue Card?
The Blue Card is for university degrees and a higher minimum salary, and has advantages such as faster permanent residence and easier family reunification. The skilled worker visa covers a wider range of occupations.
Is it possible without recognition of my qualification?
On the work-experience route or the Anerkennungspartnerschaft, yes, under specific conditions.
What if I don’t find an employer?
Look into the Opportunity Card option.
Note: this guide is general information (last reviewed: October 2026) and is not legal or immigration advice. Laws, amounts and embassy procedures change constantly, especially for Iranian applicants. Before taking any step, read the lists of documents and the official notices (Auswärtiges Amt, Make it in Germany, BAMF) and, for complex cases, consult a lawyer or authorised immigration advisor.
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