Get started in your new job faster—even without Residence permit right Residence permit
The Thuringian Ministry of Migration has instructed the state’s immigration authorities to help international graduates enter the workforce more quickly. Specifically, this means that in certain cases, it should be possible to start working even while the formal process of changing one’s residence permit is still underway.
Until now, things were often different. Many international graduates had to wait until their new Residence permit was Residence permit after completing their studies. In practice, this frequently led to delays—it was not uncommon for several weeks or even months to pass between the end of their studies or training and the start of their new job.
The goal is now to narrow this gap. For international graduates in Thuringia, this means they may be able to start working sooner without having to wait a long time for an official decision. Those who have completed vocational training or a degree program in Germany should have better opportunities in Thuringia to immediately find suitable employment.
Immigration authorities should be more flexible in their decisions
To expedite the process, the ministry has issued a procedural guideline to the immigration authorities. The new regulation is to take effect immediately and provide the authorities with clear guidance on how to handle such cases.
Accordingly, the authorities should make use of legal options to expedite the transition between residence permits. This includes, for example, Residence permit existing Residence permit or adding provisions to them to allow for employment.
Legal mechanisms such as the presumption of validity can also play a role. In certain cases, this ensures that a previous Residence permit remains valid Residence permit while a decision is being made on a new application.
Background: Why a new Residence permit is Residence permit
International students and trainees generally hold a Residence permit for a specific purpose during their training or studies—for example, under Section 16a of the Residence Act (vocational training) or Section 16b of the Residence Act (studies).
After graduation, they must Residence permit to a different Residence permit if they wish to work in Germany, for example, a Residence permit skilled workers (Section 18a or Section 18b of the Residence Act) or an EU Blue Card (Section 18g of the Residence Act).
However, the transition can take time. Qualifications often need to be verified, or working conditions assessed. It is precisely this phase that Thuringia now aims to make more flexible, so that entry into the workforce is not unnecessarily delayed.
Thuringia's economy relies on foreign skilled workers
The Thuringian state government emphasizes that the state’s economy relies on international skilled workers. In particular, well-educated graduates should, whenever possible, remain in the state and be able to put their qualifications to immediate use.
From the Ministry’s perspective, lengthy administrative procedures should not prevent foreign skilled workers from entering the workforce. For this reason, immigration authorities should act more flexibly and find faster solutions to enable qualified skilled workers from third countries to enter the workforce more quickly.
