Glossary: terms for working and living in Germany

Western Balkans regulation, pre-approval, residence title, Opportunity Card: the terms that come up when hiring staff from Albania and Kosovo, each explained briefly with its legal basis.

33 terms · Legal status 15 September 2026. Checked against the statutes (gesetze-im-internet.de) and the pages of the Federal Employment Agency and the Federal Ministry of Labour. General explanation, not legal advice for an individual case. The authorities decide on approval, visa and residence title.

A

Anmeldung (address registration): Anmeldung is the obligation to register with the registration office within two weeks of moving into a home (section 17(1) Federal Registration Act). The office confirms it free of charge with an official registration certificate (section 24(2) BMG), which is often needed for a bank account and payroll.; Source:§ 17 BMG § 24 BMG
Approval of the Federal Employment Agency: The approval of the Federal Employment Agency is required before a residence title for employment is issued, unless the law or the Employment Ordinance makes it unnecessary (section 39(1) Residence Act). Among other things, the agency checks whether the working conditions match those of comparable domestic employees. If the agency does not state within two weeks that the information provided is insufficient or that the employer has not provided the required information, or not in time, approval is deemed granted; in the fast-track procedure for skilled workers (section 81a Residence Act) and when an EU Blue Card holder changes job (section 18g(4) Residence Act), the period is one week (section 36(2) BeschV).; Source:§ 39 AufenthG § 36 BeschV; Read more: How the process works →

C

Change of employer: A change of employer under the Western Balkans regulation needs a new approval from the Federal Employment Agency, obtained through the immigration office. The new job may only start once the immigration office has permitted it. According to the Federal Employment Agency’s technical instructions, such approvals do not count against the annual quota.; Source:§ 26 BeschV Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Fachliche Weisungen AufenthG/BeschV (Stand 12/2024); Read more: FAQ →
Comparable working conditions: Comparable working conditions means that a foreign worker may not be employed on less favourable terms than comparable domestic employees (section 39(2) and (3) Residence Act). The Federal Employment Agency checks this before approving, for example pay, working hours and holidays in the employment contract.; Source:§ 39 AufenthG

D

Declaration on the employment relationship: The declaration on the employment relationship (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis) is the Federal Employment Agency form in which the employer describes the planned job. According to the agency, it is the application form for pre-approval.; Source:Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Vorabzustimmung; Read more: How the process works →
Driving licence conversion: Conversion means being issued a German driving licence on the basis of a foreign one. For many classes of Albanian and Kosovan licences no test is required; which classes are converted without a theory or practical test, country by country, is set out in Annex 11 FeV. After establishing ordinary residence in Germany, the foreign licence may still be used for six months (section 29(1) FeV); in certain cases the authority can extend this period by up to six months.; Source:Anlage 11 FeV § 29 FeV

E

Employment Ordinance (BeschV): The Employment Ordinance sets out when foreign nationals may be employed in Germany and when the Federal Employment Agency must approve it. The Western Balkans regulation is in section 26(2) BeschV.; Source:§ 26 BeschV § 39 AufenthG; Read more: FAQ →
EU Blue Card: The EU Blue Card is a residence title mainly for university-educated skilled workers who earn a salary above a statutory threshold in Germany (section 18g Residence Act). The threshold is 50 percent of the pension insurance contribution ceiling, or 45.3 percent in shortage occupations and for recent graduates. Below the higher rate, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency is required.; Source:§ 18g AufenthG

F

Fast-track procedure for skilled workers: The fast-track procedure for skilled workers (section 81a Residence Act) is a procedure the employer applies for at the competent immigration office in Germany, with power of attorney from the future employee. The immigration office then coordinates the involvement of the other authorities.; Source:§ 81a AufenthG
Federal Employment Agency (Bundesagentur für Arbeit): The Federal Employment Agency is Germany’s public employment administration; for foreign employees it decides whether to approve the employment (section 39 Residence Act). This check is carried out by its Central Placement Office for Foreign and Specialist Workers (ZAV). It does not decide on the visa — that is the German mission abroad.; Source:§ 39 AufenthG Bundesagentur für Arbeit: ZAV; Read more: How the process works →
Fiktionsbescheinigung (fictional certificate): The Fiktionsbescheinigung is the immigration office’s certificate that an application for a residence title has been made and what effect this has (section 81(5) Residence Act). If someone applies for an extension before their title expires, the previous title is deemed to continue until the decision (section 81(4) Residence Act).; Source:§ 81 AufenthG

G

German mission abroad (Auslandsvertretung): A German mission abroad is a German embassy or consulate; outside Germany it is responsible for passport and visa matters (section 71(2) Residence Act). For a first-time approval under the Western Balkans regulation, the visa must be applied for at the competent German mission in one of the six Western Balkan countries (section 26(2) sentence 2 BeschV).; Source:§ 71 AufenthG § 26 BeschV Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Fachliche Weisungen AufenthG/BeschV (Stand 12/2024); Read more: How the process works →

H

Health insurance: Health insurance covers the cost of medical treatment; workers and employees employed for pay are compulsorily insured in German statutory health insurance (section 5(1) no. 1 SGB V). Exceptions, for example for income above the annual earnings ceiling, are set out in section 6 SGB V.; Source:§ 5 SGB V

I

Immigration office (Ausländerbehörde): The immigration office is the authority in Germany responsible for residence decisions (section 71(1) Residence Act). For example, it issues and extends the residence permit after entry and is the point of contact for a change of employer.; Source:§ 71 AufenthG

L

Language level (CEFR, A1 to C2): The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) describes language skills in six levels: A1 and A2 for basic, B1 and B2 for independent, C1 and C2 for proficient use. Section 26(2) BeschV and the Federal Employment Agency’s page on the Western Balkans regulation do not list a language certificate as a requirement; what the job needs is up to the employer.; Source:Goethe-Institut: Gemeinsamer europäischer Referenzrahmen § 26 BeschV Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Westbalkanregelung

M

Minimum wage: The statutory minimum wage is the lowest gross hourly wage employers in Germany must pay (Minimum Wage Act). It has been 13.90 euros per hour since 1 January 2026 and will be 14.60 euros from 1 January 2027 (Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance). Sector minimum wages, for example in building cleaning or construction, can be higher.; Source:BMAS: Fünfte Mindestlohnanpassungsverordnung § 1 MiLoG

N

National visa (D visa): The national visa is the visa for longer stays in Germany, for example for employment, and must be issued before entry (section 6(3) Residence Act). It is handled by the German missions abroad (section 71(2) Residence Act).; Source:§ 6 AufenthG § 71 AufenthG; Read more: How the process works →

O

Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte): The Opportunity Card is a residence permit for looking for work or for measures to have a foreign qualification recognised (section 20a Residence Act). It is available to skilled workers or to people who reach enough points on the points route; only the points route requires, among other things, a vocational or university qualification recognised by the state abroad and either basic German or English at B2 level. It is initially granted for up to one year; alongside, employment of up to 20 hours per week on average is allowed.; Source:§ 20a AufenthG

P

Pre-approval (Vorabzustimmung): Pre-approval is the Federal Employment Agency’s approval of a job that the employer obtains before the visa application (section 36(3) BeschV). It is handled by the Central Placement Office for Foreign and Specialist Workers (ZAV) and applied for with the form “Declaration on the employment relationship”. It is voluntary, is meant to speed up the procedure and, according to the Federal Employment Agency, is valid for nine months from the day it is issued.; Source:Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Vorabzustimmung § 36 BeschV; Read more: How the process works →
Priority check (Vorrangprüfung): The priority check is the Federal Employment Agency’s check of whether German workers, or foreigners with equal legal standing, are available for a job (section 39(3) Residence Act). For the Western Balkans regulation it is provided for by law (section 26(2) sentence 1 BeschV) but has been suspended since 3 November 2023 under Federal Employment Agency instruction 202311002; the agency’s head office can require it again at any time.; Source:§ 39 AufenthG § 26 BeschV Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Weisung 202311002 vom 03.11.2023 (Vorrangprüfung § 26 BeschV)Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Fachliche Weisungen AufenthG/BeschV (Stand 12/2024); Read more: FAQ →
Private employment agency: Private job placement means a private company, rather than the Federal Employment Agency, placing jobseekers with employers. A placement contract with a jobseeker must be in writing, and the jobseeker’s fee is capped by law (section 296 SGB III). Hirenord does not ask applicants for any advance payment; the placement is as a rule paid by the employer.; Source:§ 296 SGB III; Read more: For employers →

Q

Quota (Western Balkans regulation): The quota is the upper limit on first-time approvals the Federal Employment Agency may grant under the Western Balkans regulation: up to 50,000 per calendar year (section 26(2) sentence 3 BeschV). According to the agency’s technical instructions, extensions and approvals for a change of employer do not count. A cut to 25,000 is in the coalition agreement but is not law in force.; Source:§ 26 BeschV Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Fachliche Weisungen AufenthG/BeschV (Stand 12/2024); Read more: FAQ →

R

Recognition of foreign qualifications: Recognition is the official finding that a foreign vocational qualification is equivalent to a German one. It determines whether someone counts as a skilled worker under section 18(3) of the Residence Act. It is not required for the Western Balkans regulation — except in regulated professions, where a licence to practise must have been granted or promised (section 18(2) no. 3 Residence Act).; Source:§ 18 AufenthG Anerkennung in Deutschland (Portal der Bundesregierung)
Recognition partnership: The recognition partnership (section 16d(3) Residence Act) allows someone to work in Germany and complete the recognition procedure only after entry. Requirements include a foreign state-recognised vocational qualification with at least two years of training or a recognised university degree, a concrete job offer, an agreement with the employer to start the recognition procedure without delay, sufficient German and the approval of the Federal Employment Agency. The residence permit is granted for at most one year and can be extended up to a total stay of three years.; Source:§ 16d AufenthG
Residence Act (AufenthG): The Residence Act is the German law governing the entry, stay, employment and integration of foreign nationals (section 1 AufenthG). Among other things, it sets out the residence titles and the Federal Employment Agency’s approval of employment.; Source:§ 1 AufenthG
Residence permit (Aufenthaltserlaubnis): A residence permit is a time-limited residence title issued for a specific purpose, for example employment (section 7 Residence Act). After entry with the visa it is issued by the immigration office at the place of residence; its duration depends on the purpose of stay.; Source:§ 7 AufenthG § 71 AufenthG
Residence title (Aufenthaltstitel): A residence title is the state permission for a foreign national to stay in Germany. Section 4(1) of the Residence Act lists seven forms: visa, residence permit, EU Blue Card, ICT Card, Mobile ICT Card, settlement permit and EU long-term residence permit.; Source:§ 4 AufenthG

S

Settlement permit (Niederlassungserlaubnis): A settlement permit is a residence title without a time limit (section 9 Residence Act). It usually follows several years with a residence permit; the requirements depend on the previous purpose of stay.; Source:§ 9 AufenthG
Skilled worker (Fachkraft): Under the Residence Act, a skilled worker is someone with a German qualified vocational training or an equivalent foreign vocational qualification, or with a German, recognised or comparable foreign university degree (section 18(3) Residence Act). Employment under the Western Balkans regulation does not require being a skilled worker in this sense.; Source:§ 18 AufenthG
Social security number: The social security number (pension insurance number) links a person to their data in the German social insurance system; it is issued by the pension insurance data office (section 147 SGB VI). Anyone in employment subject to compulsory insurance in Germany receives one.; Source:§ 147 SGB VI

T

Tax ID (Steuer-ID): The tax ID is a personal number that the Federal Central Tax Office issues only once per person and that stays the same permanently (section 139b Fiscal Code). The employer needs it for payroll.; Source:§ 139b AO

W

Western Balkans regulation: The Western Balkans regulation (section 26(2) of the German Employment Ordinance, BeschV) allows nationals of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia to take up employment in Germany, even without a recognised vocational qualification. Requirements include a concrete job offer, the approval of the Federal Employment Agency and no benefits under the Asylum Seekers’ Benefits Act in the last 24 months; temporary agency work is excluded (section 40(1) no. 2 Residence Act). Anyone aged 45 or over at the first approval needs, according to the Federal Employment Agency, a gross annual salary of at least 55 percent of the pension insurance contribution ceiling (2026: 55,770 euros) or proof of adequate retirement provision. First-time approvals are capped at up to 50,000 per calendar year, and for these the visa must be applied for at the competent German mission in one of the six countries.; Source:§ 26 BeschV Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Westbalkanregelung Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Fachliche Weisungen AufenthG/BeschV (Stand 12/2024)§ 40 AufenthG; Read more: FAQ →

Z

ZAV (Central Placement Office): The Central Placement Office for Foreign and Specialist Workers (Zentrale Auslands- und Fachvermittlung, ZAV) is the part of the Federal Employment Agency that decides on admitting foreign employees to the German labour market. It is where the employer applies for pre-approval.; Source:Bundesagentur für Arbeit: ZAV Bundesagentur für Arbeit: Vorabzustimmung; Read more: How the process works →