GermanyWork
Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.
Employment in Germany as a professional driver for the carriage of goods by road or of passengers by coach or bus.
(1) Approval may be granted to foreigners for employment in Germany as a professional driver for the carriage of goods by road or the carriage of passengers by coach or bus.
Non-EU/EFTA citizens need Federal Employment Agency approval of the residence title for this employment (Section 19c(1) AufenthG with Section 24a(1) BeschV), obtained internally during the visa process. The official source does not state the job-offer or employer requirements for this route.
If you do not have citizenship of an EU or an EFTA member state, but you still meet the conditions mentioned above, you can work as a professional driver if the Federal Employment Agency (BA) has approved the granting of the necessary residence title according to Section 19c (1) of the Residence Act (AufenthG) (External link) <desc>box with arrow to the right</desc> for this employment ( Section 24a (1) of the Ordinance on the Employment of Foreigners [BeschV] (External link) <desc>box with arrow to the right</desc> ). Approval from the BA will be obtained during the visa process in an official internal procedure. As a rule, no action on your part is required.
An EU/EEA driving licence of class C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E or DE and evidence of the (accelerated) EU/EEA initial qualification; applicants aged 45+ need a gross annual salary of at least EUR 55,770 (2026) or adequate pension provision.
You must possess the necessary EU or EEA driving licence of class C1, C1E, C, CE, D1, D1E or DE and You must be able to provide evidence of your (accelerated) EU or EEA initial qualification to drive certain vehicles for the carriage of goods or passengers.
If you are aged 45 or over, you must receive a certain gross annual salary for employment in Germany or be able to produce proof of a sufficient level of previously earned pension provision. In 2026, this minimum salary is 55,770 euros.
The permit is for employment in Germany as a professional driver and allows living in Germany with family (family reunification rules apply). The official source does not state whether the holder is tied to an employer.
Would you like to live in Germany with your family? This residence permit allows you to do so.
(1) Approval may be granted to foreigners for employment in Germany as a professional driver for the carriage of goods by road or the carriage of passengers by coach or bus.
The residence permit can generally be extended as long as the employment contract is valid; after five years of employment a permanent residence permit can be applied for under the general Section 9 AufenthG rules. The official source does not state the initial permit duration.
As long as your employment contract is valid, your residence permit can generally be extended. After five years of employment, you can apply for a permanent residence permit. The general regulations according to Section 9 of the Residence Act (AufenthG (External link) <desc>box with arrow to the right</desc> ) apply.
These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.
Explore more pathways in Germany · All pathways
Not legal advice. No eligibility verdict or ranking. Check the linked sources before applying.