A residence permit to engage in employment that is in the public interest—particularly in terms of regional, economic, or labor market policy—is issued for a limited period. It may be extended if the employment is to continue beyond the validity period of your residence permit.

Apply for an extension of your residence permit no later than eight weeks before it expires at the immigration office responsible for your place of residence.

The same requirements apply to the extension as to the initial issuance. In particular, there must continue to be a public interest in your employment. A public interest in the employment can be demonstrated, for example,

• if there is a regional or supraregional public interest in an employer’s products or services, or if there is a shortage of certain goods or services at the employer’s location (regional interests). Reasons related to public services or local government policy may also play a role here.
• if significant investments are made and/or a substantial number of jobs are created or secured; if the establishment of the business is associated with a sustainable improvement in the sales or market opportunities of domestic companies, or if it involves the establishment of a manufacturing facility for technically advanced (future-proof) and/or particularly environmentally friendly products (economic interests).
• when the employment preserves or creates jobs (labor market policy interests).

An employer’s private-sector, business-related interest alone is not sufficient to establish a public interest in the employment.

Your qualifications are not a determining factor for the renewal of your residence permit.

When your residence permit was first issued, the Federal Employment Agency granted its approval. If the validity of that approval has expired, it must be granted again for the renewal of your residence permit.

Under certain circumstances, you may have been required to participate in an integration course when your residence permit was first issued. If this is the case, it must be taken into account when renewing your residence permit. If you have not yet participated in an integration course, the Foreigners’ Registration Office may reject your application to renew your residence permit. If you have not yet completed the integration course, your residence permit will generally be extended for only one year at a time until you successfully complete the course or provide proof that you have otherwise integrated into social and community life.

In the event of a renewal, your residence permit will once again be issued for a limited period. The duration of this period depends on the term of your employment contract or the validity period of the approval from the Federal Employment Agency.

As a rule, the residence permit cannot be extended if this was already ruled out at the time of issuance or the most recent extension of the residence permit.