Drug testing in Germany - Blue card

Question

I come from a country where a certain drug is legal and recreationally used. I will be traveling to Germany in the following weeks on National visa to start a new job there. Afterwards, I will then be applying for a German Blue card to continue my stay.

Is drug testing practiced in German software companies, and during immigration or blue card applications? I could not find anything about this online, and it seems this drug is not yet legal there for recreational use.

Please share any advice, since I have a party to attend a few days before my flight and I would rather avoid going if it can cause problems for me in Germany.

Answer 1

Is drug testing practiced in German software companies, and during immigration or blue card applications?

No, it's not. Generally speaking, there are no drug tests in Germany.

Exceptions are if you are an athlete that gets tested for doping, want a security clearance or work in another high security profile job. Or if the police has a specific suspicion (like you drove your car into a ditch and look like you are on something).

In my 40+ years in Germany (20+ of them as software developer) I never had to take a drug test or even had one mentioned. Ever ^(*).

It's also not used for immigration, visa or even permanent residency or citizenship.

If you do drugs, you will get arrested by the police. Before that, it's nobodies business but yours.

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^{(*) I think the formerly mandatory inspection for military draft had a drug test... but if you don't become a German citizen and travel back in time 15 years, you should be safe.}

^{Also, keep in mind that Germany borders on the Netherlands with no border checks, where weed is legal anyway.}