First 12 months: tell the foreigners' office, which has 30 days to object. After 12 months: change freely, as long as the new job still qualifies. Here's how to do it without risking your permit or your PR clock.
Updated 13 August 2026
Since November 2023 you no longer need the foreigners' office to approve a job change in advance. In the first 12 months of your Blue Card you must notify it. It can object within 30 days if the new job doesn't meet the Blue Card conditions. After 12 months there is no notification duty for the change itself, but the new job must still meet the salary threshold and match your qualification. You'll need to show that at renewal or PR.
Gross annual salary of at least €50,700 (or €45,934.20 for shortage occupations and recent graduates), a contract of at least 6 months, and a role that matches your degree. A reduced-threshold job may need labour-agency approval again.
Get the new contract signed first. Check your notice period (Kündigungsfrist) in your current contract. During probation it's often 2 weeks; after that, usually at least 4 weeks or as agreed.
Email or use the online form of your Ausländerbehörde. Include the new contract, a job description, your passport and residence card. Do it as soon as the contract is signed, ideally before you start.
Months without Blue Card employment and pension contributions don't count towards the 21/27-month PR fast track. Try to make the end date of one job meet the start date of the next.
Give the new employer your tax ID, social security number and health insurer. Keep your old employment reference (Arbeitszeugnis) and payslips: you'll need proof of continuous qualifying work for PR.
Tell the foreigners' office. Your card isn't automatically cancelled; you generally get time to find a new qualifying job. You can claim unemployment benefit if you've paid in long enough. Act quickly, because long gaps can affect your permit and PR timeline.
No. Blue Card employment months add up across employers. Only gaps without qualifying work and pension contributions are a problem.
Not on a Blue Card. You may be able to switch to a different residence permit (for example, a skilled-worker permit), but that changes your PR route. Ask the foreigners' office before you sign.
Side self-employment generally needs permission from the foreigners' office. Ask before you invoice anyone.
