Do you qualify?
Full stack development falls under ISCO-08 group 2512 (Software developers) or 2513 (Web and multimedia developers) — both within sub-major group 25, a shortage occupation in Germany. You need:
- A job offer in Germany for at least 6 months
- A gross annual salary of at least €45,934.20 (2026 shortage threshold)
- A recognised degree, or 3 years of full stack development experience at university level in the last 7 years
Degree recognition for Moroccan qualifications
Full stack developer is the one profession where both the Diplôme d'Ingénieur and the 3-year Licence LMD Informatique are regularly sufficient for Route 1.
The Diplôme d'Ingénieur d'État (5 years, ISCED 7) from ENSIAS (filière Génie Logiciel or IWIM), INPT (Advanced Software Engineering), EMI (Génie Informatique), or the ENSA network maps to German master's level and is the strongest credential. Check at anabin.kmk.org that your institution is H+ and your programme is listed as "entspricht" or "gleichwertig".
A 3-year Licence LMD en Informatique from a recognised public university (Faculté des Sciences et Techniques under UM5, UH2C, Ibn Tofail, or other public universities) also qualifies at ISCED 6. The Blue Card minimum is ISCED 6, so a Licence LMD is sufficient provided the institution is H+ and the programme is listed. At ISCED 6, your salary offer must still meet €45,934.20 (shortage threshold) — the salary requirement does not change by degree level.
A Licence Professionnelle (1-year top-up after a Bac+2 technical diploma) sits at ISCED 5 or borderline ISCED 6. It is not the same as the 3-year Licence LMD. Get a ZAB Statement of Comparability if your diploma says "Licence Professionnelle" rather than "Licence" under the LMD framework.
OFPPT Technicien Spécialisé Développement Digital / Développement Informatique: Below ISCED 6 — does not qualify Route 1. This is the single most important caveat for Moroccan full stack applicants: OFPPT is a large and well-regarded vocational system, but its Bac+2 diplomas are not university degrees. § 18g(2) is the path if you have 3 years of engineering-scope full stack work in the last 7 years.
Salary threshold (2026)
| Category | Gross annual minimum |
|---|---|
| Full stack developer (shortage, ISCO-08 group 25) | €45,934.20 |
| General Blue Card threshold | €50,700 |
| IT exception without degree (§ 18g(2)) | €45,934.20 |
Two routes to the Blue Card
Route 1 — degree: Diplôme d'Ingénieur or Licence LMD Informatique from an H+ institution with the programme listed.
Route 2 — IT exception (§ 18g(2)): 3 of the last 7 years of full stack development at university level. Experience letters must show production software ownership — frontend architecture decisions, API design, database modelling, code review and mentorship — not only feature tickets.
Worked example: Hamid's Blue Card application
Hamid Berrada, 28, full stack developer, Casablanca to Cologne
Licence LMD en Informatique from the Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Hassan II Casablanca (2020, 3 years). Before applying he checks Université Hassan II in anabin, confirms H+ status, and verifies that the Licence Informatique programme is listed in the comments. Apostille from Moroccan MFA on degree and transcript. Registered address in Casablanca — applies at the Consulate General Casablanca.
Four years of experience: React, Node.js, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Redis, Docker — full ownership of the frontend and API for a B2B SaaS used by 5,000 companies. Rebuilt the authentication system to support OAuth 2.0 and deployed on AWS (EC2, RDS, CloudFront).
Job offer: Full Stack Developer at a Cologne digital agency, €52,000 gross/year. Outcome: qualifies under Route 1. €52,000 clears the €45,934.20 shortage threshold.
Document checklist
Route 1:
- Passport (at least 2 empty pages)
- Degree certificate with Moroccan MFA apostille
- Academic transcript with Moroccan MFA apostille
- anabin printout or ZAB Statement of Comparability
- Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis
- Health insurance confirmation
Route 2:
- Experience letters (frontend and backend technologies, architecture decisions, database design, production systems, seniority level) and payslips.
Which German mission handles your application
Embassy Rabat and Consulate General Casablanca both handle employment visas. Jurisdiction follows your registered address. Confirm before booking via digital.diplo.de.
After approval: settlement permit timeline
- 21 months Blue Card + German B1 → settlement permit (§ 18c(2) AufenthG)
- 27 months Blue Card + German A1 → settlement permit
Common mistakes
Submitting an OFPPT Développement Digital diploma as the qualifying degree. OFPPT diplomas are Bac+2 vocational qualifications. They are not university degrees and do not meet the ISCED 6 minimum for Route 1.
Confusing Licence Professionnelle with Licence LMD. A Licence Professionnelle is a 1-year programme awarded after Bac+2 technical training. It is not the same as the standard 3-year Licence LMD under the Bologna-aligned LMD framework. If your diploma says "Licence Professionnelle," get a ZAB assessment.
Using the wrong anabin check. Both the institution rating AND your specific programme must appear in anabin. An H+ institution with your programme unlisted means a ZAB Statement of Comparability is needed.
When you need a lawyer
Consider one if your Licence LMD programme is not individually listed in anabin, if you hold a Licence Professionnelle rather than a Licence LMD, or if your § 18g(2) experience is primarily OFPPT-grade work without architecture ownership.
We are not a law firm and this page does not constitute legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Licence LMD Informatique (3 years) sufficient for the EU Blue Card? Yes, for Route 1 — provided the institution is H+ and the Licence Informatique programme is listed as "entspricht" in anabin. The Blue Card minimum is ISCED 6. Salary must still meet the €45,934.20 shortage threshold.
Does my OFPPT Développement Digital diploma qualify? No. OFPPT diplomas are Bac+2 vocational qualifications classified below ISCED 6. Route 1 is not available. § 18g(2) applies if you have 3 years of full stack development at engineering level in the last 7 years.
Can a bootcamp graduate apply via § 18g(2)? § 18g(2) requires experience "at university level." Bootcamp graduates who have since worked for 3 of the last 7 years in production full stack roles with design responsibility can qualify — the degree replacement is the employment record, not the bootcamp certificate itself.
Sources
- § 18g AufenthG, Bundesministerium der Justiz
- EU Blue Card: Make it in Germany
- anabin database, KMK / ZAB
- German Embassy Rabat · German CG Casablanca
Not legal advice. Verify current requirements with the relevant German mission before applying.
See also
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