How to apply for a German work visa

By Nicolas Bouliane Verified by 1 expert

The German work visa is a residence permit to work in Germany.

With a work visa, you can…

This guide explains how to apply for a work visa in Berlin or in your home country.

Who needs a work visa?

If you are not a citizen of the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you need a residence permit to live in Germany. The work visa is a type of residence permit.

If you are a permanent resident, you don’t need a work visa. You can already work anywhere.

Who needs a residence permit?

Work visa requirements

To get a work visa, you need…17

  • A guaranteed job offer
    You must find a job before you apply for the work visa.14 It can be a short-term or part-time job. It can be a remote job. You must be an employee, not a freelancer.
  • A fair salary
    There is no minimum salary, but you can’t be underpaid.30 You must earn as much as Germans who have a similar job.25 – Compare your salary
  • Qualifications for this job
    You must know how to do your job. For example, to get a car mechanic job, you must know how to fix cars. Your job can be unrelated to your education.24
  • Permission to do this job
    You must have all the permits and special qualifications needed for the job.11 For example, doctors, engineers and lawyers need special qualifications. – Find the requirements for your job

If you are not a citizen of Albania, Australia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States, you must have…28

  • Vocational training or a university degree
    You must be trained to do this job. Your education or training must be recognised by the Agentur für Arbeit. It must be equivalent to 2 years of training in Germany. If you have a university degree, try to get a Blue Card; it’s better. Your job can be unrelated to your education.24

If you are not a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, San Marino, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States, you must have…33

  • An employer in Germany
    Your employer must have an office in Germany, even it it’s a remote job.23

If you are over 45 years old, you must have…31

  • A net salary of at least 53,130€ per year
  • or a pension plan that guarantees an income after retirement

You do not need to speak German to get a work visa.22

If you can’t get a work visa, there are other residence permits that let you work in Germany.

Work visa alternatives

How to apply in Berlin

You can apply for a work visa after you move to Germany:

  1. Come to Germany
  2. Apply for a work visa at your local Ausländerbehörde. If you don’t live in Berlin, find your local Ausländerbehörde and apply there.
  3. Get your work visa
  4. Start working

You can apply in Germany if…

If you can’t apply in Germany, you must apply in your home country.

Usually, you can’t work while you wait for your work visa.26 You might wait a few months with no income. It’s cheaper and safer if you apply in your home country, then come to Germany when you have permission to work.

If you need help, an immigration lawyer or a relocation consultant can take care of everything. It costs 500 to 2,000€.32 Your employer might pay for it, or hire someone to help you.

1. Come to Germany

Come to Germany and look for a job.

  • If you have a National Visa or residence permit
    If your current visa or residence permit expires after you applied for the work visa, you don’t need to leave Germany. It stays valid until you get your work visa.
  • If you are a citizen of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States
    You can come to Germany without a visa. You can stay 90 days in Germany without a residence permit. You can look for a job, and apply for the work visa in Germany.8 You can’t work before you get your work visa.
  • If you have an opportunity card
    You can come to Germany and look for a job. You can work 20 hours per week. To work full time, you must get a Blue Card or a work visa.
  • If you have a job seeker visa
    You can come to Germany and look for a job. To start working, you must get a Blue Card or a work visa.10
  • If you have a Schengen visa
    Schengen visas are for tourism, not immigration. You can’t apply for a work visa with a Schengen visa. Your application will be rejected. You must apply in your home country.21

If these options don’t apply to you, you must apply for the work visa in your home country.18

2. Find a job

You must find a job before you apply for the work visa.14 Your job offer must meet the work visa requirements.

How to find a job

3. Prepare your application

Before you apply for the work visa…

If you are not a citizen of Albania, Australia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States, you must also…

  • Get your education recognised
    Your professional training must be equivalent to 2 years of professional training in Germany. It must be recognised by the Agentur für Arbeit. The recognition process depends on your profession.19 It can take a few months.7 If you studied in Germany, your education is already recognised. – How to get your education recognised

If you bring your family to Germany, you can apply for their family reunion visa at the same time. You must prepare their documents too.

While you wait for an Ausländerbehörde appointment, you should also…

4. Apply for the work visa online

You must apply for the work visa online. You do not need an Ausländerbehörde appointment. It takes 15 minutes.

Apply for the work visa

It costs 100€. It’s cheaper for Turkish citizens. You can pay with Visa, Mastercard or PayPal. You can’t pay with cash or Girocard.7 The fee is tax-deductible, so keep the receipt.

If you have too many documents, merge them or make them smaller.

After you pay and send your application, you can download a PDF. This is your proof of application. Save it for later

5. Wait

The Ausländerbehörde will process your application. There is no way to track your application. You must wait for their response. It takes a few months.

While you wait, your current National Visa or residence permit might expire. It’s extended until the Ausländerbehörde processes your application.

If your visa or residence permit expires

If you have an opportunity card, you can work 20 hours per week while you wait for your work visa.

What happens while you wait

6. Go to your appointment

A few weeks later, the Ausländerbehörde will email you an appointment date. If you get an appointment, you are almost guaranteed to get your work visa.

Follow the instructions in the email. You might need to send extra documents, or bring them to your appointment.

What happens during your appointment

If your work visa is approved, you will get a second appointment to pick up your plastic residence card. While you wait, you can start working. You will get a document that confirms this.4

7. Get your work visa

Go to your second Ausländerbehörde appointment and pick up your work visa. Your new work visa is valid for up to 4 years.16 If you have a limited work contract, your work visa is valid for a shorter time. For example, if you have a 2 year work contract, your work visa is valid for 2 years + 3 months.3

How to pick up your work visa

8. Start working in Germany

Starting a new job in Germany

What to do next

How to apply in your country

You can also apply for a work visa in your country, then move to Germany. This is cheaper and safer, because when you arrive in Germany, you can already start working. You don’t need to wait in Germany without an income.

You must find a job before you apply.14 Your job offer must meet the work visa requirements. If you don’t have a job offer, you can get an opportunity card, come to Germany, find a job, then apply for a work visa in Germany.

To get a work visa faster, use the fast-track procedure (Beschleunigtes Verfahren). It costs 411€.

How to apply in your country

Required documents

These are the required documents in Berlin.2 If you apply elsewhere, they require different documents. Check the website of the Ausländerbehörde, embassy or consulate where you apply. – Find your embassy or consulate

  • Passport
    When you apply online, include a colour scan of your passport. When you go to your appointment, bring your original passport. You get it back during the appointment; they do not keep it.
  • QR code for biometric pictures (35 × 45 mm)
    Printed passport photos are not allowed. Only QR codes are accepted. See how to get biometric pictures.
  • Job contract or job offer
    Bring the original, not a copy.
  • Application form (Antrag auf Erteilung eines Aufenthaltstitels)
    If this is your first residence permit application, fill this form. Download the form here or on Berlin.de.
  • Job description form (Erklärung zum Beschäftigungsverhältnis)
    Your employer should fill this form and sign it. Download the form here or on Berlin.de.
  • Proof of health insurance
    You need valid health insurance. Travel insurance is not accepted. Ask a health insurance broker to help you choose health insurance.
    • Health insurance card
    • or proof of public health insurance
      Get a Mitgliedsbescheinigung nach 175 SGB V from your health insurer or your health insurance broker.
    • or proof of private health insurance
      Bring your insurance contract, a Mitgliedsbescheinigung, and bank statements that show health insurance payments. Get these documents from your health insurer or your health insurance broker.6
  • Proof of housing
    You need a place to live where you can register your address. If you apply in Berlin, your home address must be in Berlin.
    • Lease
      It must show the size of your apartment. Your apartment must be big enough (9 m² per adult, 6 m² per child).36 You must make enough money to pay your rent. It can be a temporary lease, a WG or a sublet.
    • and tenancy confirmation (Wohnungsgeberbestätigung)
      Some temporary apartments and sublets don’t give you this document. You might not get a work visa without it.1
    • and registration certificate (Anmeldebestätigung)
      You must register your address to get this document. If you don’t have it, your lease and tenancy confirmation are sometimes enough. At least bring proof that you have a Bürgeramt appointment.5
  • Occupation practice permit (Berufsausübungserlaubnis)
    You must have all the permits and special qualifications needed for the job.11 For example, doctors, engineers and lawyers need special qualifications. – Find the requirements for your job
  • Translations
    If your documents are not in German, bring translations. For certificates and official documents, bring certified translations. They sometimes accept untranslated documents, but don’t take the risk. Get translations from Red Tape Translation or Lingoking.

If you are not a citizen of Albania, Australia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada, Israel, Japan, Kosovo, Monaco, Montenegro, New Zealand, North Macedonia, San Marino, Serbia, South Korea, the United Kingdom or the United States, you also need…

  • Proof of vocational training
    A certificate or a degree that proves that you received professional training to do this job.
  • Certificate of equivalence
    Proof that your professional training is recognised in Germany. If you got professional training in Germany, you don’t need this.34

When you send your application, use PDF files or photos. Don’t use word documents or other file formats.27 If you have too many documents, merge them or make them smaller. You can also mail your documents, but it’s not better or faster.

When you go to to your appointment, print everything. Use A4 paper. Do not staple the pages together. Some case workers also ask for documents that you already sent. It’s safer if you bring everything you have, including documents that you already sent.

After you get your work visa

What to do after you get your residence permit

Give feedback

Tell me how long it took to get your work visa. Your feedback helps thousands of people plan their application.

See other people’s feedback

If you change or lose your job

When you change jobs, always tell the Ausländerbehörde. You might need their permission to work for a different employer.

If you lose your job, your work visa stays valid. Tell the Ausländerbehörde as soon as you can. In Berlin, they give you 6 months to find another job. While you are unemployed, you can get unemployment benefits.

What happens to your work visa

Travel with a work visa

Your work visa lets you visit other Schengen area countries without a visa. You can travel outside of Germany for up to 6 months.20 If you travel longer, your work visa expires.

Your work visa lets you live anywhere in Germany, not just in the city where you applied.

Travel with a residence permit

Self-employment with a work visa

Your work visa might allow part-time self-employment. Check your Zusatzblatt to see if it’s allowed.

Check your work contract too. You might need to tell your employer about your self-employment. Your employer might forbid self-employment if it competes with their business. For example, don’t start a marketing agency while you work for another marketing agency. They can’t forbid all self-employment without a reason.15

To become self-employed full time, apply for a freelance visa, permanent residence or citizenship.

Apply for permanent residence

If you have a work visa, you qualify for permanent residence after 24 to 60 months. Permanent residence is better than a work visa, because it’s not tied to your job.

How to apply for permanent residence

Need help?

An immigration lawyer or a relocation consultant can answer your questions. Some organisations can also help you for free.

Where to ask immigration questions

Sources and footnotes

  1. Elliot Herman (October 2023), multiple relocation consultants (October 2023) ⤴

  2. Berlin.de, Business Immigration Service ⤴

  3. §18 Abs. 4 AufenthG, Berlin.de, Fiona Macdonald (August 2023) ⤴

  4. VAB A81.5a.2 (December 2024) ⤴

  5. Kathleen Parker at Red Tape Translation (December 2023), Berlin.de ⤴

  6. Berlin.de, Business Immigration Service ⤴

  7. DARE Consulting (page 9), BAMF ⤴

  8. §41 AufenthV, Berlin.de, Make it in Germany (December 2024) ⤴

  9. §18c Abs. 1 AufenthG ⤴

  10. §20 AufenthG, Berlin.de, Make it in Germany ⤴

  11. §18 AufenthG ⤴

  12. europa.eu, ind.nl ⤴

  13. §29 AufenthG ⤴

  14. §18 Abs. 2 AufenthG ⤴

  15. fachanwalt.de (November 2024) ⤴

  16. §18 Abs. 4 AufenthG ⤴

  17. Berlin.de ⤴

  18. Multiple relocation consultants (October 2023) ⤴

  19. DARE Consulting (page 9), BAMF ⤴

  20. §51 Abs. 1 AufenthG ⤴

  21. Auswärtiges Amt, §3 AufenthG, reddit.com/r/germany, facebook.com, einwanderer.net ⤴

  22. make-it-in-germany.com, DARE Consulting ⤴

  23. Berlin.de ⤴

  24. New in November 2023. Make it in Germany, §18a AufenthG, §18b AufenthG, Red Tape Translation ⤴

  25. DARE Consulting (page 10), Agentur für Arbeit ⤴

  26. Berlin.de ⤴

  27. Berlin.de ⤴

  28. §26 BeschV, DARE Consulting (page 25) ⤴

  29. make-it-in-germany.com ⤴

  30. Auswärtiges Amt ⤴

  31. Berlin.de, BAMF ⤴

  32. Multiple relocation consultants (November 2023) ⤴

  33. §26 BeschV ⤴

  34. Berlin.de, §26 BeschV ⤴

  35. Kathleen Parker, relocation consultant (March 2024) ⤴

  36. VAB A2.4 (July 2024) ⤴