Working abroad
Working in Germany: permits, registration and basic rights
Who can work in Germany without a permit, the main residence titles for employment, what to do when you arrive and the minimum rights you have as an employee.
Who this is for
People planning to move to Germany to work as employees, whether EU citizens or nationals of non-EU countries. It does not cover self-employment, study or asylum.
In short
- EU/EEA and Swiss citizens can work in Germany without a work permit.
- Non-EU citizens need a residence title that allows work: the most common are the skilled-worker titles, the EU Blue Card and the Opportunity Card (Chancenkarte).
- Anyone who moves into a home must register their address (Anmeldung) within two weeks.
- Since 1 January 2026 the statutory minimum wage is 13.90 euros gross per hour.
- Hours: usually 8 per day; minimum leave of 24 working days based on a 6-day week.
General information, not legal advice. Rules change and have exceptions. Always check the official text in the sources below and, for your own case, talk to a trade union, a qualified lawyer or the competent public authority.
EU citizens: free movement
If you are a citizen of an EU country, the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you can look for and take up work in Germany on the same terms as Germans. No work permit is needed. You still have practical steps: registering your address, getting a German tax ID (Steuer-ID), health insurance and a social insurance number, which usually come through your employer and health insurer. For the general rules see free movement in the EU.
Non-EU citizens: the main routes
The Residence Act (Aufenthaltsgesetz, AufenthG) sets out several titles. The main ones for employees are:
- Skilled worker with vocational training (section 18a) and with an academic degree (section 18b): you need a qualification recognised in Germany and a job offer. [1]
- EU Blue Card (section 18g): for graduates with a contract of at least 6 months and a salary above a threshold linked to the pension insurance contribution ceiling (50%, or a lower threshold for some occupations and recent graduates). The Interior Ministry updates the exact amounts every year: check them before you sign. [2]
- Job search after studies, research or training completed in Germany (section 20) and the Opportunity Card (section 20a): the Chancenkarte lets you enter to look for work, usually for up to one year, using a points system; while searching you may work on average up to 20 hours a week. [3]
You apply for the visa at the German embassy or consulate in the country where you live. The German government's official portal for people coming to work is make-it-in-germany.com. Be wary of anyone asking for money to "guarantee" a visa: official information is free. See also fair recruitment.
Recognition of qualifications
Many non-EU routes require recognition of your qualification. For regulated professions (for example healthcare or teaching) EU citizens also need recognition. The official portal is anerkennung-in-deutschland.de, which shows the competent body for each profession. For EU rules see recognition of qualifications.
Registering your address (Anmeldung)
Anyone who moves into a home in Germany must register with the local registration office (Meldebehörde) within two weeks of moving in. [4] The registration certificate is often needed to open a bank account, receive your tax ID and sign contracts.
Minimum wage
The statutory minimum wage (Mindestlohngesetz) covers almost all employees. It is 13.90 euros gross per hour from 1 January 2026 and will rise to 14.60 euros from 1 January 2027, under the Fifth Minimum Wage Adjustment Ordinance. [5] Many collective agreements set higher rates.
Working hours
The Working Hours Act (ArbZG) normally limits work to 8 hours per working day. It can go up to 10 hours only if the average over 6 months or 24 weeks does not exceed 8 hours a day. [6]
Annual leave
The Federal Leave Act (BUrlG) guarantees at least 24 working days a year, based on a 6-day week: with a 5-day week that is 20 days. [7] Contracts and collective agreements often give more.
Dismissal
A dismissal must be in writing on paper and signed: e-mail or text messages are not enough. [8] In businesses with more than 10 employees, after 6 months of employment the Protection against Dismissal Act (KSchG) applies: the dismissal must be socially justified. [9] If you want to challenge it, you generally have to go to the labour court within three weeks of receiving it. [10]
Who to contact
- Customs, Financial Control of Undeclared Work unit (FKS): checks the minimum wage and undeclared work (zoll.de).
- State occupational safety authorities (Arbeitsschutzbehörden): working hours and safety.
- Trade unions and the publicly funded "Faire Integration" advice service for workers from non-EU countries.
- Labour court (Arbeitsgericht) for disputes.
Checklist before you go
- Check whether you need a visa and which one, only on make-it-in-germany.com or the German embassy website.
- Check whether your qualification must be recognised and start the process early.
- Ask for a written contract with gross pay, hours and leave.
- Compare your pay with the minimum wage and any collective agreement.
- As soon as you find a home, book your Anmeldung: you have two weeks.
- Never pay intermediaries for a visa or a job.