Key Facts

Germany's esports visa enables permanent residence for professional esports workers from third countries from spring 2020.
Amendments to the Employment Ordinance were approved by the Federal Council following approval by the Federal Government.
New regulation § 22 allows eSports as a professional competition for foreign players.
Minimum age for applicants is 16 years.
Associations must pay a gross salary that corresponds to 50% of the contribution assessment ceiling for pension insurance.
The responsible German umbrella organization must confirm the practice of eSports.
The regulation is expected to come into force in March 2020, in conjunction with the Skilled Immigration Act.

The German esports visa is coming: From spring 2020, professional esports men from third countries will be subject to simplified conditions for permanent residence in the Federal Republic of Germany. Today, the Bundesrat approved the corresponding amendments to the Employment Ordinance, after the federal government had already passed the bill in November (see this post).

Section 22 is amended as follows:

(a) After point 4, the following point 5 shall be inserted:
“5. Persons who practice eSports professionally in the form of a competition between persons and whose use in German clubs or similar eSports institutions participate in competitions are intended
is when it

(a) have reached the age of 16;
b) the association or institution pays a gross salary that is at least 50 percent of the contribution assessment ceiling for statutory pension insurance, and
(c) the German governing body responsible for eSports confirms the professional practice of eSports and the exercise d’esports is of significant national or international importance.”

The revised Employment Ordinance will enter into force in conjunction with the Skilled Personnel Immigration Act, probably in March 2020.

Author: Marian Härtel

Marian Härtel ist Rechtsanwalt und Fachanwalt für IT-Recht mit einer über 25-jährigen Erfahrung als Unternehmer und Berater in den Bereichen Games, E-Sport, Blockchain, SaaS und Künstliche Intelligenz. Seine Beratungsschwerpunkte umfassen neben dem IT-Recht insbesondere das Urheberrecht, Medienrecht sowie Wettbewerbsrecht. Er betreut schwerpunktmäßig Start-ups, Agenturen und Influencer, die er in strategischen Fragen, komplexen Vertragsangelegenheiten sowie bei Investitionsprojekten begleitet. Dabei zeichnet sich seine Beratung durch einen interdisziplinären Ansatz aus, der juristische Expertise und langjährige unternehmerische Erfahrung miteinander verbindet. Ziel seiner Tätigkeit ist stets, Mandanten praxisorientierte Lösungen anzubieten und rechtlich fundierte Unterstützung bei der Umsetzung innovativer Geschäftsmodelle zu gewährleisten.

Tags: Esport Esports Regulation