Many companies in Germany are looking for skilled workers. With a sought-after professional qualification, you can come to Germany to work and live here. But finding a job from abroad is often a challenge. That is why according to section 20 of the Residence Act, you can obtain a visa or a residence permit for job hunting in Germany. This way, you can enter Germany legally and then look for a suitable job on-site.
You can apply for a residence permit if you are a "skilled worker" who wants to find a qualified job in Germany. Skilled workers are professionals with a qualified vocational training or an academic degree recognised in Germany. The term "qualified job "refers to the occupations for which one requires qualified vocational training or a university degree. Check out our chapters „Dual Vocational Training“ and „School-based Vocational Training” for more information.
If you need a visa to enter Germany, you must first apply at the German embassy/consulate in your home country or a neighbouring country.
Please note that it can take several months to process your visa application.
If you do not require an entry visa to come to Germany, report to the local Immigration Office at your new place of residence after entering Germany and apply for a visa for job hunting. Whether you need a visa depends on your country of origin. On auswaertiges-amt.de, you will find a list of countries whose citizens need a visa to enter Germany.
In our chapter "National Visa", you will find a list of all documents that third-country nationals need to obtain a national visa.
For a visa for job hunting, you will also need the following documents:
- Evidence of accomplishing a qualified vocational training programme or an academic degree recognised in Germany
- Proof of sufficient German language skills for the job you seek. The required level depends on the type of job you are trying to find.
- Proof that you can secure a livelihood while you are looking for a job. In case you cannot present such proof, a third person can submit a so-called “Declaration of Commitment” for you. You can learn more about this document in our chapter “Declaration of Commitment for a National Visa”.
After entering the country, you must report to the local Immigration Office at your new place of residence within three months and apply for a residence permit there. To do so, you must submit the documents mentioned above and, in principle, a police registration document and a rental agreement. The authorities will check your papers and then decide whether you can get a residence permit.
You can stay in Germany for six months. While job hunting, you can work for potential employers for a maximum of 10 hours per week on a trial basis. Once you have found a suitable job, you must apply for a residence permit for employment. It is after obtaining this residence permit that you are allowed to start working in Germany. You can learn more in our chapter „Visa for Skilled Workers”.
If you do not manage to find a job within six months, you will have to leave the country. You can, however, apply for a new visa for job hunting at the German embassy to try again after a six-month interval.
You can learn more about employment in Germany in our chapter “Job Hunting & Application”.
Job Hunting and Application
The job market in Germany has numerous rules and regulations. In addition, you must meet some requirements to get a job. Many employers choose their employees mainly based on their certificates or degrees in the desired field. But even without the relevant certificates, you still have a chance to find a job.
Here you will learn about the steps you need to take to start your first job in Germany and the ways you can increase your chances of finding your dream job.
Here are two essential points you need to consider in advance:
- German is spoken in most companies in Germany. In some cases, English will do; but for most jobs, you need to be able to communicate in German. There are many ways to learn German or to improve your proficiency. Find out more in our chapters on "Language".
- You need a work permit before you can start to work in Germany. For migrants, the work permit is directly linked to the residence permit. You can find out more about this in our chapter "Migration to Germany". If you have fled to Germany, whether you can work or not depends on your current residence status. You can find out more in our chapter "Work Permit for Refugees".
Employment Contract
Searching for the proper job can be tedious- but it is fabulous when you finally get a "yes" from a company you like. Before you sign the contract and start to work, you should examine the proposed employment agreement thoroughly.
Declaration of Commitment for National Visa Type D
When third-country nationals (i.e. citizens of non-EU countries) want to apply for a national visa for Germany, they usually have to prove that they have enough money to support themselves during their stay. If they cannot do so themselves, a person living in Germany can vouch for them under certain circumstances. This can be a relative, acquaintance or a company or institution that can prove they have sufficient funds. Such a guarantee is known as a "Verpflichtungserklärung" or "declaration of commitment". A declaration of commitment can then be presented as proof of financial support for the visa application. Such financial support, however, does not work for all visas - in principle, it only applies to the following visas:
- Student visa
- Vocational Training visa
- Jobseekers visa
- Marriage visa
- Visa for attending a language course/school
- Visa to search for a vocational training or university programme
- Visa for family reunification
- Visa for state-level admission programmes per § 23 para. 1 Residence Act
Here, you can learn everything about the declaration of commitment for long-term visits. In our chapter "Declaration of Commitment for a Visitor Visa", you can learn more about the Declaration of Commitment for short-term visas.
Please note:
On July 7th, 2023, a new skilled worker immigration law was passed. It includes numerous changes and amendments to facilitate the immigration of skilled workers and make Germany more attractive to them. It is unclear when exactly these changes and amendments will be enforced. When the time comes, we will update our website– we encourage you to visit us regularly to stay well informed.
“Opportunity Card” for Jobseekers
“Chancenkarte” or the Opportunity Card (as per §20a, b Residence Act) will be available from June 2024. Qualified professionals will thus have the opportunity to obtain a stay permit to look for a job in Germany. To obtain an Opportunity Card, you must meet certain requirements. Below, you can find what you need to consider.
*This information on this page has been reviewed and verified by our consulting lawyer Astrid Meyerhöfer.
Here you can find the German embassy in your country.