German Green Card celebrates first birthday

01 August 2001

1st August 2001 marks the first anniversary of the German Green Card initiative. The programme, launched by Federal Chancellor Schroder, was designed to streamline and speed up the process of bringing in non-EEA nationals to work as ITech professionals in Germany, and thus help to make up the shortfall of workers in this sector.

The German government have taken this anniversary as a chance to reflect on the interim results of the special programme, and to remark on its success.

To date, (20 July 2001), 8556 GGC’s have been issued by the regional German employment offices: this amounts to about 150 per week. The German government estimates indicate that a Green Card holder indirectly creates 2-3 new jobs in the country’s IT sector. More than 80 per cent of the companies who have recruited staff abroad via the Green Card scheme believe that this has helped them to increase competitiveness.

To be awarded a German Green Card, the candidate must have a valid job offer in Information Technology or Telecommunications, with either a minimum annual salary of DM 78000 and an IT-relevant university degree, or a salary of DM 100000 if he does not hold a relevant degree. A GGC can then be obtained in one week’s time from the moment that a complete application is lodged at a German employment office (time scales may vary slightly from region to region). Green Cards are considered to be permits to work, are employer specific, and should not be confused with the US’s Green Card system of permanent residency.

For more information, applicants and potential employers can contact workpermit.com. Workpermit.com are global immigration consultants who offer all-round assistance for companies or individuals wishing to apply for German Green Cards, as well as a free advice service. In cooperation with its sister company Sybersolve Solutions, workpermit.com has recently introduced a new service for companies who want to send staff to Germany, but do not (or not yet) have a registered branch of their own in the country.

Immigration to Germany & the German Green Card scheme

If you are an employer wishing to make a German Green Card application e-mail us at germany@workpermit.com.