Blue Card and professional practice permit: What regulated professions in Germany must consider

If you want to work as a foreign skilled worker in a regulated profession in Germany, an academic degree alone is often not enough. In addition to the EU Blue Card as a residence permit, in many cases you will need a professional practice permit for regulated activities – a government authorization to practice certain professions . In this article, a lawyer specializing in immigration law explains what this entails and how you can enter your profession with legal certainty.

What does “permit to practice” mean?

In Germany, many professions are subject to strict legal regulations – particularly in healthcare, engineering, education, and legal professions. Anyone wishing to work in a so-called regulated profession usually requires an official professional permit . This is issued by the responsible authority after successful recognition of qualifications acquired abroad.

Examples of professions requiring a professional license:

• Doctors

• nursing staff

• Pharmacists

• Architects and engineers

• Lawyers, notaries, tax consultants

• teachers and educators

EU Blue Card: Only with a professional permit for regulated professions

The EU Blue Card ( Section 18g of the Residence Act ) allows highly qualified third-country nationals to reside in Germany to pursue qualified employment. However, for regulated activities (e.g., as a doctor or lawyer), a professional practice permit is required in addition to the EU Blue Card. In concrete terms, this means that the issuance of the Blue Card is linked to the possession of a professional practice permit if the desired profession is among the regulated professions. This follows from Section 18, Paragraph 2, No. 3 of the Residence Act.

Important: An existing professional practice permit can usually also be used for new applications – for example, in the event of a change of employer or a salary increase that opens up access to the Blue Card for the first time.

Difference to professional title permit

Many people confuse a professional practice permit with a professional title permit . However, the distinction is important in some professions that can be practiced with the EU Blue Card. For example, engineers do not require a permit to practice their profession, but only a permit to use the professional title "engineer." Therefore, it is possible to work as an engineer without a professional practice permit if a different title (e.g., "project manager") is chosen in the employment contract.

How do you obtain a license to practice?

How you obtain a license to practice varies depending on the relevant authority. The process depends largely on the profession and the federal state . Typically, the following steps are required:

• Start the recognition process: The relevant reference profession can be found and the application for recognition can be submitted via the portal www.anerkennung-in-deutschland.de.

• Submit documents: certificates, CV, proof of professional experience, language skills if applicable.

• Equivalence assessment: The responsible authority checks whether your training is equivalent to the German one.

• Receive notification: If the decision is positive, a professional practice permit will be issued – a mandatory requirement for a visa or residence permit. If no notification is issued, adjustment measures will be necessary.

  
  

Conclusion: No Blue Card without a professional permit in regulated professions

For many foreign skilled workers, a professional practice permit is the key to successful entry and professional practice in Germany – especially if they want to apply for an EU Blue Card. Anyone wishing to work in a regulated profession should obtain information early and start the recognition process in good time.