Working
in Germany
If you come from a third country and would like to work in Germany as a skilled professional, you must first have your qualifications certified and then apply for a visa before entering Germany.
Nationals of Australia, Israel, Japan, Canada, New Zealand, South Korea and the USA do not need a visa before entering Germany and only need to apply for a residency permit before taking up employment in Germany. Citizens of the EU/EFTA states have free access to the labor market in Germany and do not need to apply for a visa or residency permit.
National Visa
The national visa allows you to enter Germany as a third-country national if your aim is, among other things, to take up gainful employment. The visa is initially limited to three months.
During this time, you will have the opportunity to apply for a residency permit for job seekers, skilled professionals or for the certification of foreign professional qualifications.
Residency permit for job seekers
If you would like to work in Germany but cannot find any suitable job offers from abroad, you, as a qualified skilled professional, have the opportunity to search for a job directly in Germany with the residency permit for job seekers. This permit is issued for a maximum of six months. Please note that you may not take up gainful employment during this time.
Once you have found a job, you must then apply for a residency permit for skilled professionals, and, as a third-country national, you must first apply for a visa before entering Germany.
Overview of the Residency permit for job seekers
Work and residency permit for skilled professionals
If you have received a concrete job offer from an employer in Germany and would like to accept it, you need to apply for a work and residency permit for skilled professionals. This is issued for a maximum of four years. If your employment contract is limited to a shorter time period, the time frame is adjusted to this period.
After the four years have expired, you have the possibility, under certain conditions, to apply for a residency permit and, thus, ultimately obtain an unlimited residency permit. Do you have family you would like to bring to Germany?
work and residency permit for skilled professionals
Residency permit for the certification of foreign professional qualifications
If you have completed vocational training or an academic study program abroad and it was determined in Germany that you lack further qualifications to be fully certified for any equivalent employment in the country, you have the opportunity to attend various qualification courses in Germany to learn the necessary skills needed for full certification.
In order to do this, you must first apply for a residency permit for the
certification of foreign professional qualifications.
Permanent residency permit
If the deadline for your residency permit soon expires, but you would like to stay in Germany permanently?
Then you have the possibility to apply for a permanent residency permit. This is unlimited and enables you to live and work in Germany with your family without restrictions.
List of foreign representationsWe have compiled a list of the foreign missions of the Federal Republic of Germany in your home countries:
0228 97735-44
info@care-concept.de
Care Concept AG