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Settlement permit

1 storyUpdated 7 October 2026, 15:07 UTC

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Where things stand

DevelopingPermanent residence in Germany: every route to a settlement permit and how long each takes
The general rule for a settlement permit is five years with a residence permit and 60 months of pension contributions. EU Blue Card holders can qualify after 21 months.

Key facts

Under the general rule, a settlement permit is granted after five years with a residence permit, with at least 60 months of pension contributions, secure income, German at level B1, basic knowledge of the legal and social order, and adequate housing. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice), Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
EU Blue Card holders get a settlement permit after 27 months of Blue Card employment with pension contributions and basic German, or after 21 months with German at level B1. Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice), Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
Skilled workers with vocational or academic training get a settlement permit after three years with a skilled-worker residence title, if they hold a job, have paid 36 months of pension contributions and have sufficient German. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice)

Timeline

1 March 2024BAMF's English guide to settling in Germany is dated March 2024. We checked its periods against the current text of the Residence Act. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF)
18 August 2023The skilled-worker rules in force today come from the Act on the Further Development of Skilled Immigration, published in the Federal Law Gazette in August 2023. Bundesgesetzblatt (Federal Law Gazette)

Stories in this record

DevelopingWork and study in Germany

Permanent residence in Germany: every route to a settlement permit and how long each takes

Now The general rule for a settlement permit is five years with a residence permit and 60 months of pension contributions. EU Blue Card holders can qualify after 21 months.

Last changed 7 October 2026 · 1 version · Verified 7 October 2026